Boston (March 13, 2018) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement today after Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt announced that the agency is not considering enacting fuel economy standards after 2025 and challenged the ability of California and other states such as Massachusetts to set their own standards. Last year, President Trump and Administrator Pruitt announced the withdrawal of EPA’s final determination on fuel economy emissions standards for model year 2022-2025 cars and light trucks. The Obama administration’s historic 54.5 mpg standard was partially enabled by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which included fuel economy standards co-authored by Senator Markey when he was in the House of Representatives.
 
“Despite his oil-soaked proclamations, the ultimate authority on fuel economy emissions standards is not Scott Pruitt, it is the Clean Air Act,” said Senator Markey, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and Chair of the Senate Climate Task Force. “The law is clear that California and other states such as Massachusetts are able to take action to issue these standards. The Supreme Court has upheld this authority in Mass v. EPA. Since the passage of the Clean Air Act, over 100 waivers have been issued to California for vehicle emissions. None has ever been rescinded. Scott Pruitt and his oil industry allies might not like the law, but they have an obligation to follow it.”
 

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