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1 [1] (April 17, 2024)

handle is hein.crs/govepmt0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressionol Research Service nforming the IegisI9tive debate since 1914 Updated April 17, 2024 Automobiles, Air Pollution, and Climate Change On August 5, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14037, Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks (86 FR 43583). The order required, among other items, executive agencies to revisit and amend the federal standards that regulate air pollution emissions, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and fuel economy of new passenger cars and light trucks. These standards include the Motor Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Light-Duty Vehicle GHG Emissions Standards promulgated by EPA, and the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards promulgated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The order also included a nonbinding electrification goal that 50 percent of all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in 2030 be zero-emissions vehicles, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or fuel cell electric vehicles. EPA published its proposal-the Multi- Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles-on May 5, 2023 (88 FR 29184), and announced the final rule on March 20, 2024. NHTSA published its proposal-the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks for Model Years 2027-2032-on August 17, 2023 (88 FR 56128). Emissions from Automob e5 The light-duty vehicle (LDV) and medium-duty vehicle (MDV) sectors (defined at 40 C.F.R. §86 and 49 C.F.R. §523) generally include passenger cars, light trucks, and most sport utility vehicles; as well as class 2b and class 3 trucks such as large pickups and vans. EPA reports that these vehicles contribute to air pollution, such as ozone, particulate matter, and air toxics, which are linked with premature death and other serious health impacts, including respiratory illness, cardiovascular problems, and cancer. The agency estimates that LDVs and MDVs currently account for approximately 11% of the United States' annual anthropogenic emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO.), 8% of volatile organic compounds (VOC), and 1% of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Further, according to EPA's Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2022 (published April 2024), LDVs emitted over 1 billion metric tons of GHGs in 2022, or about 16% of the United States' annual anthropogenic emissions of GHGs. Agency Authoritie5s EPA's Ar Po ution Standards Section 202 of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970 (CAA; P.L. 91-604, as amended) requires EPA to establish standards for emissions of air pollutants from new motor vehicles which, in the Administrator's judgment, cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare (42 U.S.C. §7521). Standards under Section 202 must also consider issues such as technological feasibility, the cost of compliance, and industry lead time, among other items. EPA has since promulgated standards for emissions of nonmethane organic gases (NMOG), NO., PM, carbon monoxide (CO), and formaldehyde (an air toxic). EPA's GHG Standards In the 2007 decision Massachusetts v. EPA, the Supreme Court held that EPA has the authority to regulate GHGs from new motor vehicles as air pollutants under CAA Section 202. In the 5-4 decision, the Court's majority concluded that EPA must decide whether GHG emissions from new motor vehicles contribute to air pollution that may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare or provide a reasonable explanation why it cannot or will not make that decision. In December 2009, EPA promulgated findings that GHGs endanger both public health and welfare and that GHG emissions from new motor vehicles contribute to that endangerment (74 FR 66495). With these findings, the CAA required EPA to establish standards. NHTSA's CAFE Standards The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA; P.L. 94-163) established CAFE standards for passenger cars beginning in model year (MY) 1978 and for light trucks beginning in MY1979 (49 U.S.C. Chapter 329). The standards are designed primarily to conserve petroleum. They require each auto manufacturer to meet a target for the sales-weighted fuel economy of its entire fleet of vehicles sold in the United States in each model year. Under EPCA, CAFE standards and new vehicle fuel economy rose steadily through the late 1970s and early 1980s. After 1985, Congress did not revise the legislated standard for passenger cars for several decades, and it remained at 27.5 miles per gallon (mpg) until 2011. The light truck standard was increased to 20.7 mpg in 1996, where it remained until 2005. In 2007, Congress enacted the Energy Independence and Security Act (P.L. 110-140), mandating a phase-in of higher CAFE standards reaching 35 mpg by 2020. This was the last legislation on CAFE passed by Congress. Prior Standards Air Po lution Standards EPA's prior air pollution standards for LDVs (Tier 3, 79 FR 23414) were finalized in March 2014, to be phased-in between 2017 and 2025, and closely align with California's Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) III program. Manufacturers must meet fleet-average tailpipe emissions standards for NMOG + NOx, PM, CO, and formaldehyde in a given model year across several different test cycles. Tier 3 also includes standards for low-sulfur fuel, evaporative emissions, and on-board diagnostics, as well as compliance flexibilities such as an emissions averaging, banking, and trading program.

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