Trump administration proposes weaker fuel efficiency norms

The Trump administration on Thursday proposed to roll back federal fuel efficiency requirement for passenger vehicles at the 2020 model year level of 35 mpg instead of letting them continue to rise through 2025 to nearly 50 mpg as planned by the Obama administration. 

The proposal also suggested revoking the 1975 law that provides California with a waiver from federal rules allowing it to implement stringent standards compared to rest of the country. 

The draft rule which was jointly written by the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) includes a range of options for modifying the fleet fuel economy end emission standards. However, it also makes it clear that the preferences are to freeze the standards at the 2020 model year. 

The new proposal, if implemented after a public comment period, would majorly weaken former President Barack Obama's far-reaching policy intended to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute towards global warming. 

Several environmentalists and lawmakers from all over the country criticized the move. Jerry Brown said his state "will fight this stupidity in every conceivable way possible."

Under the current rules, standards vary by the model based on a size footprint. The proposal to revoke, however, was widely accepted as the implementation would help harmonize the execution of national programs. The lack of such a unified law, automakers of the country face the expense of building and marketing vehicles for two different markets which may result in losing sales of some models in certain states. 

This only adds to the widespread criticism that the Trump administration has faced from the automobile industry from not only the US but all over the world. Trump who has been lately in the news for tariff wars with several countries has caused huge loss to American automobile makers such as Ford, Tesla, and Harley Davidson which has a major market in the European countries. 

American motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson in light of the retaliatory tariffs implemented by the EU shifted its plant to Europe in order to dodge further loss of sale in the European market. Reacting to this, Trump had hit out at the company on Twitter accusing them of 'surrendering' to the tariffs implemented by the European countries.