The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) dealt a major blow to clean air, public health, and energy affordability last month, with their issuance of two new rules—one which rolls back limits on pollution from fossil fuel power plants and one that weakens fuel efficiency standards, respectively. These actions harm human health and well-being, while also costing American households at the pump and at home.
Despite their mission and legal obligation to protect us from pollutants and toxins that endanger public health and welfare, the EPA gutted regulations (set forth under the Biden Administration) that required coal and gas plants to install equipment to reduce their pollution. Specifically, the new rule eliminates requirements from existing coal and new gas plants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 90%, which would also have the effect of reducing other harmful criteria pollutants that contribute to air pollution.
“The EPA is legally and statutorily obliged to protect public health and welfare, which these rules clearly fail to do,” said Utah Clean Energy’s CEO Sara Baldwin-Griffin. “The EPA’s denial of the benefits of affordable clean energy is only costing American households more money at the pump, at home, and on their medical bills. When a cleaner, healthier energy future is already within reach, these actions take us in the wrong direction.”
Beyond contributing to dirtier air, these watered-down rules will further exacerbate climate change given the power sector’s outsized impact on climate pollution. According to a report from New York University School of Law’s Institute for Policy Integrity, the U.S. power sector contributes more to climate change than the entire economies of Canada, Japan, Brazil and Mexico—in other words, if the U.S. power sector were a country, it would rank as the sixth biggest emitter in the world.
This move adds insult to injury, as the EPA already rescinded its own 2009 endangerment finding that greenhouse gas emissions are air pollutants that endanger public health and welfare. Moving to deny their own legal authority affirmed by decades of Clean Air Act case law and legislative and regulatory history further opened the door to allow power plant owners, vehicle manufacturers, and other industrial operations to contaminate the air we breathe without repercussion.
In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s announced the rollback of fuel efficiency standards, also known as corporate average fuel economy standards (CAFE standards), reducing the fleet-wide average by nearly 11 miles per gallon, going from 50.4 miles per gallon to 34.9 mpg by 2031—standards less ambitious than those passed under the George W. Bush administration in 2007.
For over 50 years, CAFE standards have helped drive innovation in the vehicle market, create jobs, while also making it more affordable to drive and do business. According to a 2020 report, increasingly stringent CAFE standards have saved $5 trillion in fuel costs and prevented 14 billion metric tons of carbon, which is equivalent of the U.S. eliminating all emissions from all sectors for nearly three years.
“As more Americans feel the pain at the pump and face rising energy bills, these moves take us in the wrong direction and will have long-lasting impacts on prosperity, health, and well-being,” said Baldwin-Griffin.
Local actions you can take to counteract federal backsliding
These federal regulatory actions are undoubtedly a step backwards for clean air, climate, and our public health. However, there are still steps we can take where we live to address these important issues and remain proactive on solutions that not only improve air quality but also save money. Here are a few actions we recommend:
- Drive less, take public transit, bike, carpool, or use e-bikes/scooters to commute
- Choose an EV and take advantage of Utah’s new EV and EV charging incentives through the Department of Environmental Quality’s incentive finder
- Learn about the Community Renewable Energy Program, a partnership of Utah Renewable Communities and Rocky Mountain Power, is building a stable, reliable energy future for Utah’s growth and generations to come.
- Participate in Rocky Mountain Power’s energy savings programs, such as Wattsmart Homes and Cool Keeper.
- Contact your local government representatives and let them know you want their leadership on climate, clean air, and clean transportation (including favorable ordinances for EV charging)!
- Make energy upgrades and adopt more energy efficient, all-electric appliances for your home or business, find incentives here. If you are a renter, talk to your landlord about possible ways to take steps at home, find tips in this Renter’s Guide for Energy Efficiency.
- Contact your federal and state legislators to let them know you value clean air and climate solutions and want them to prioritize steps to counteract federal backsliding.
We would like to clarify that Utah Clean Energy is not a solar company. We are a nonprofit organization that advocates for solar and other clean energy technologies, but we do not install or sell solar in any way.