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A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 26 July 2018
EPA chief: U.S. needs a single standard for fuel efficiency

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER in 2012, setting a single na-
Associated Press tional fuel economy stan-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The dard.
acting head of the Environ- California has joined 16
mental Protection Agency other states and the District
said Tuesday that the Unit- of Columbia to sue the EPA
ed States needs a single to try to block any weaken-
standard for fuel efficiency ing of the standards.
for cars and trucks, signal- Trump named Wheeler,
ing a possible showdown then the environmental
with California and other agency's deputy adminis-
states that could throw the trator, as acting head after
car market into turmoil. Administrator Scott Pruitt re-
Andrew Wheeler spoke to a signed this month amid un-
small group of reporters at relenting ethics scandals.
EPA headquarters, ahead Wheeler spoke favorably
of a Trump administration about two policy issues in-
proposal that's expect- herited from Pruitt. One
ed to freeze some future was an initiative to bolster
Obama-era mileage goals. In this July 11, 2018, file photo, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Administrator consideration of costs in
The Trump administration Andrew Wheeler speaks to EPA staff at EPA Headquarters in Washington. making some regulatory
also has said it's looking at Associated Press decisions. The other was
challenging California's au- a sweeping proposal to
thority to set its own, tough- is two different standards solution" to disputes over creasing fuel efficiency change what science the
er mileage standards. for the country," Wheeler mileage standards. rules was a key part of the EPA considers in making
"What we don't want to see said, calling for a "50-state A program for steadily in- Obama administration's regulations by giving the
effort to combat climate- agency's chief the option
changing emissions from to disregard scientific stud-
fossil fuel. ies if the underlying data
California has had the au- supporting it is not made
thority under the half-cen- public. Supporters say that
tury-old Clean Air Act to would increase transpar-
set its own standards, with ency in EPA rulemaking.
a special rule allowing the Public hearings on the pro-
state to curb its chronic posals have drawn mainly
smog problem. opponents, including sci-
More than a dozen states entists and health officials
follow California's stan- who say the change would
dards, making for a signifi- throw out bedrock public-
cant part of the country's health studies that draw on
car market. confidential data on indi-
Wheeler said he was com- vidual patients.
mitted to sitting down with "I very much believe in both
California officials after the of those" as far as transpar-
Trump administration re- ency and consideration
leases its proposals, expect- of costs and benefits go,
ed as soon as this week. Wheeler said.
"We certainly want to work On the broader rule, "I think
with the state of California we can balance two com-
to make sure they're com- peting public policy goals"
fortable with the direction for patient confidentiality
the government wants to and transparency, he said.
go," he said. "There's got to be a way of
A draft of the EPA pro- threading that needle," he
posal obtained last spring said.
by Democratic Sen. Tom Crafting the final form of
Carper of Delaware said the rule on studies would
the Trump administration happen after the period
was considering freezing for public comment ends,
the fuel standard at 2020 Wheeler said. "I'm not posi-
levels for the next five years. tive what the final regula-
Under the proposal, the tion" will look like, he add-
fleet of new vehicles would ed.
have to average roughly 30 Wheeler pledged to work
mpg in real-world driving, with all sides in a policy is-
and that wouldn't change sue that bedeviled Pruitt
through at least 2025. — a dispute between corn
The Obama administra- growers and oil and gas re-
tion had proposed tougher finers over how much corn-
standards — 36 mpg by based ethanol that refin-
2025. California and auto- eries have to blend with
makers agreed to the rules petroleum.q