Statement: New clean car standards are a win for health, environment

PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new rules Wednesday that will cut soot pollution, also known as fine particulate matter, from the average car and light-duty truck by 95% compared to current standards. This reduction in soot pollution will reduce the risk of asthma and heart attacks, and premature deaths due to air pollution.

Additionally, the vehicle emission standards are expected to eliminate 7.3 billion metric tons of climate pollution through 2055 – the equivalent of eliminating all tailpipe pollution for four years.

Existing state and federal clean car standards have already substantially improved vehicle efficiency and reduced smog and other air pollutants. The average fuel economy of new cars manufactured today has more than doubled from 13.1 miles per gallon in 1975 to 33.3 mpg in 2022, helping save Americans more than 2 trillion gallons of gasoline.

Ellie Kerns, Climate and Clean Energy Associate with PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center, said: 

“From Pittsburgh to Philly air quality levels make it unsafe to breathe the air up to 100 days a year in Pennsylvania. Today’s announcement will help put the brakes on chronic air pollution from cars and light trucks. 

“Pennsylvanians should breathe a sigh of relief knowing that today’s announcement by the Biden administration will mean that the U.S. has some of the strongest standards anywhere in the world for tailpipe pollution from light-duty vehicles.”