- The American Petroleum Institute (API) and major oil companies, along with farm groups and auto dealers, have filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s EPA over new tailpipe emissions rules that promote electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing, arguing these rules exceed EPA’s authority and harm the corn-ethanol industry.
- The EPA’s regulations aim for EVs to make up to 56% of car sales by 2030-2032, but the rules face significant opposition, including a prior lawsuit from Republican attorney generals of 25 states.
- The legal challenge highlights the contentious nature of Biden’s climate policies, with significant political implications in industrial swing states, where concerns over job losses due to the EV transition are central to the upcoming presidential election debate.
In a significant legal move, the American Petroleum Institute (API), the nation’s largest oil trade group, filed a lawsuit on Thursday to halt the Biden administration’s initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks by promoting electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing. This legal challenge also includes major oil companies such as Chevron Corp and Exxon Mobil Corp.
The lawsuit comes in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new tailpipe emissions regulations, issued in March. These rules are designed to compel automakers to produce and sell more electric cars, aligning with the administration’s goal that EVs will constitute up to 56% of all car sales between 2030 and 2032. The API argues that the EPA has overstepped its congressional authority by implementing a regulation that could phase out most new gas-powered cars and hybrids from the U.S. market within a decade.
Joining the API in the lawsuit are the National Corn Growers Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation. These farm groups depend heavily on gas-powered vehicles to support the corn-ethanol industry. Harold Wolle, President of the National Corn Growers Association and a Minnesota farmer, criticized the EPA’s standards, stating, “By approving tailpipe standards that focus exclusively on electric vehicles, EPA has ignored the proven benefits corn ethanol plays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change.”
Additionally, six auto dealers, representing 16 brands and collectively operating dozens of dealerships across the country, have joined the lawsuit as co-petitioners. This coalition reflects a broad spectrum of industry stakeholders who are pushing back against the new regulations.
This is not the first legal challenge to the EPA’s new tailpipe standards. In April, Republican attorney generals from 25 states filed a lawsuit against the EPA, aiming to block the same rules. These legal actions underscore the contentious nature of the Biden administration’s environmental policies.
The new tailpipe emissions regulations are among the most significant environmental rules enacted under President Joe Biden, who has prioritized climate change as a key aspect of his presidency. However, these regulations have complicated Biden’s relationship with the United Auto Workers (UAW), a key ally that has been slow to embrace the transition to electric vehicles.
While the U.S. auto industry has largely endorsed the new standards, the transition to EVs has raised concerns among workers in key industrial swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.These workers fear that the shift could threaten jobs, making the issue a critical point in the upcoming presidential election. Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized electric vehicles and vowed to roll back the new standards, positioning this issue as a central element in his campaign.
As the legal battle over the EPA’s tailpipe emissions rules unfolds, the outcome will have significant implications for the U.S. automotive industry, environmental policy, and the political landscape. With the presidential election approaching, the debate over EVs and emissions standards is poised to remain a contentious and pivotal issue.
