Cars, Trucks, and Climate: EPA Regulation of Greenhouse Gases from Mobile Sources
On February 18, 2014, President Obama directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop a second round of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and fuel economy standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. The standards, which will affect trucks beginning with the 2019 model year, are to be proposed by March 2015 and finalized a year later. The standards will be the fourth set of GHG emission standards for mobile sources. Under standards promulgated in October 2012, GHG emissions from new cars and light trucks (i.e., sports utility vehicles, minivans, and most pickup trucks) will be phased in, beginning with model year (MY) 2017. When fully phased in (2025), emissions will be reduced about 50% compared to 2010, and average fuel economy (CAFE) standards will rise to nearly 50 miles per gallon. EPA had previously set GHG emission standards for MY2012-2016 cars and light trucks and for MY2014-MY2018 medium- and heavy-duty trucks. In all, EPA has received 13 petitions asking that it make endangerment findings and regulate emissions of greenhouse gases. Eleven of the 13 petitions addressed mobile sources: besides motor vehicles, the petitions cover aircraft, ships, nonroad vehicles and engines, locomotives, and fuels, all of which are covered by Title II of the Clean Air Act. This report discusses the full range of EPA’s authority under Title II and provides information regarding other mobile sources that might be regulated under this authority, in addition to describing the car and truck regulations.
- Record URL:
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Authors:
- McCarthy, James E
- Yacobucci, Brent D
- Publication Date: 2014-3-13
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; Tables;
- Pagination: 23p
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Serial:
- CRS Report for Congress
- Publisher: Congressional Research Service
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Air quality management; Aircraft; Automobiles; Exhaust gases; Greenhouse gases; Locomotives; Regulations; Ships; Standards; Trucks
- Identifier Terms: Clean Air Act; Corporate Average Fuel Economy; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Subject Areas: Environment; Law; Transportation (General); Vehicles and Equipment; I10: Economics and Administration; I15: Environment;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01522294
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: 7-5700, R40506
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Apr 22 2014 3:04PM