Remarks for the Light- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles Event, As Prepared for Delivery
Michael Regan
Washington, DC
Wow…What a tough act to follow!
Leena, thank you for the kind introduction. It’s an honor to join you all today.
I’d like to take a moment to thank the leaders here in the room with us. Thank you for fighting so passionately for a cleaner, healthier, and safer future for all.
When President Biden took office, he launched the most ambitious climate agenda in U.S. history — vowing to restore America’s climate leadership both at home and abroad.
In every corner of this country, Americans are seeing and feeling the devastating impacts of the climate crisis first-hand.
From the farmers grappling with droughts that are becoming more frequent and more intense…
To the families who are forced to flee their homes because of catastrophic flooding or uncontrollable wildfires.
In small towns, big cities and rural suburban communities, folks can feel the weight of the urgency the climate crisis demands.
And EPA has a responsibility to meet that urgency with action.
Today I’m pleased to announce that EPA is proposing the strongest-ever federal pollution standards for cars and trucks.
Together these actions will accelerate our ongoing transition to a clean vehicles future, tackle the climate crisis, and improve air quality for communities across the country.
Light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles are one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas pollution.
The first set of proposed standards, focused on light-duty and medium duty vehicles, builds on EPA’s existing emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks for Model Years 2023 through 2026.
EPA estimates that the proposal would reduce our cumulative CO2 emissions by 7.3 billion metric tons from 2027 through 2055. That’s equivalent to eliminating all greenhouse gas emissions from the entire current U.S. transportation sector for four years.
Overall, projected benefits range from $850 billion dollars to $1.6 trillion dollars.
The second set of proposed standards would apply to heavy-duty vocational vehicles such as delivery trucks, dump trucks, public utility trucks, transit, school buses, and more. The proposed standards are the final pieces of EPA’s “Clean Trucks Plan” and complement the heavy-duty Nitrogen Oxide standards we established last December.
Like the light- and medium-duty proposal, the heavy-duty proposal uses performance-based standards that enable manufacturers to achieve compliance efficiently based on the composition of their fleets.
EPA estimates that this proposal would reduce vehicle emissions of CO2 by 1.8 billion metric tons from 2027 through 2055.
Overall, the projected net benefits of the heavy-duty proposal range from $180 billion dollars to $320 billion dollars.
Together, these standards are expected to significantly reduce climate pollution, and help us avoid nearly 10 billion tons of CO2 emissions. To put that into perspective, that’s equivalent to more than twice the total U.S. CO2 emissions in 2022.
Folks, this is historic news. For our climate, for our future and for our children.
And for me, it’s personal. I’m delighted to see so many children in the audience today. This EPA, me, all of us…we’re fighting for you.
As a father of a nine-year-old, I can assure you, there is no greater priority for me than protecting the health of our children, and ensuring they have a safe, healthy, and livable future.
When finalized, the new standards will help us to meet our international commitments to combating the climate crisis, while improving air quality for communities across our country — especially communities that have long borne the burden of polluted air.
Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions means cleaner air and less pollution. It means less time away from work and school and increased focus and productivity. It means less sickness, and healthier Americans.
That’s what President Biden’s historic investments in America are all about – and that’s what these performance standards, when finalized, will deliver.
Since I became EPA Administrator, I’ve made it clear that engagement is key to achieving our collective goals.
Today’s proposals are informed by robust and inclusive stakeholder input from the automobile industry, labor groups and environmental organizations.
As we further develop any rules or standards that pertain to clean transportation, I’m committed to moving forward collaboratively with stakeholders.
I’m grateful to all who helped to get us to this moment. Thank you to EPA’s phenomenal staff who work tirelessly every day for the people of this country.
Thank you also to the advocates and organizations who have been fighting for decades and continue to fight for cleaner air, and healthier communities. Your work has been pivotal to our progress so far.
This EPA is committed to protecting the health of our planet, while ensuring that all people have clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and the opportunity to lead a healthy life.
And every single day, we’re one step closer to achieving a cleaner and healthier future for all.
Thank you!