Industry Groups Advocate for Balanced Approach to Vehicle Emissions Standards

Leading industry associations representing biofuel producers, farmers, and fuel marketers have united to urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adopt an equitable and technology-neutral approach to vehicle emissions standards.  

In a joint letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, the associations express concerns about the proposed rule's bias towards electric vehicles (EVs) while neglecting the potential of existing biofuels in reducing emissions. 

The joint letter emphasizes the importance of incorporating the full lifecycle carbon intensity of different fuel and engine technologies, rather than solely focusing on tailpipe emissions. The associations argue that the current approach fails to account for upstream emissions resulting from electricity generation for EVs. They propose incentivizing emissions reductions from all available technologies in a fair and comprehensive manner. 

While supporting the objective of reducing transportation emissions, the organizations raise apprehensions about the proposed standards favoring EVs over other viable fuel and vehicle options. They contend that the EPA's expectations for rapid EV market penetration do not align with market realities and overlook the challenges associated with significant shifts in consumer behavior.  

The letter highlights the importance of acknowledging proven decarbonization technologies, such as higher-octane liquid fuels, which can deliver substantial emissions reductions using existing infrastructure and vehicles.  

Still, EVs could regard 67 new light- duty vehicle deals and 46 of new medium- duty vehicle deals by 2032, If the EPA's tailpipe emigrations norms are enforced as proposed. However, the industry associations argue that this projection does not align with market dynamics and overlooks the potential of alternative decarbonization strategies. 

The letter was jointly submitted by prominent organizations, including the Renewable Fuels Association, National Association of Convenience Stores, NATSO (Representing America's Travel Plazas and Truckstops), National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, SIGMA (America's Leading Fuel Marketers), and Growth Energy. These groups advocate for a balanced approach that considers all available technologies and fuels to achieve meaningful emissions reductions in the transportation sector. 

By urging the EPA to adopt market-oriented and technology-neutral policies, these industry stakeholders emphasize the importance of fairness and inclusivity in shaping future vehicle emissions standards. They believe that by accounting for the full range of emissions associated with different fuel and engine technologies, the EPA can encourage the widespread adoption of decarbonization measures and foster a more sustainable transportation sector.