EPA extends credits for automakers, further relaxing car rule
The EPA vehicle pollution standards released last week gave automakers more time than originally proposed to cut tailpipe emissions.
But the March 20 final rule contains less-noted change that also helps car companies by extending two programs making it easier for manufacturers to meet emissions standards.
EPA had proposed in April to phase out by 2031 an obscure yet crucial program that rewards automakers for vehicle features that aren’t measured in tailpipe tests, such as solar roofs and energy-efficient lighting.
Related Knowledge Center: Air emissions
More than 30 years after the last major update of the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Supreme Court has upended the ability of Congress to give the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies broad scope to combat air pollution, including the emission of greenhouse gases. Meanwhile, further Biden administration efforts to limit emissions face opposition in the courts.