Complete list of press releases

Arguing that the Polis Administration’s unnecessary delay in considering new rules to clean up truck pollution will only lead to more harm to families and communities in disproportionately impacted areas of Colorado, a coalition of environmental justice, conservation, local government and other groups today formally petitioned the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) to consider an Advanced Clean Trucks rule and a low NOx rule this spring. A copy of the filing can be found here.

“There simply is no good reason to delay consideration of these rules, and plenty of good reasons why the AQCC should act this spring,” Ean Thomas Tafoya, the Colorado director of GreenLatinos, said. "Frontline communities made it clear before Covid that these toxics were of the highest priority. The deadly impacts of truck diesel pollution were made more clear during Covid. We must act quickly on many fronts, and today we reassert that we will use every tool available to us to ensure our right to clean air and a livable future."

“Black, Brown and Indigenous families and neighborhoods in Colorado suffer disproportionately from the negative health effects of dirty trucks driving and idling near homes and businesses. Cleaning up truck pollution is good environmental policy, good social justice policy and good economic policy," said Wendy Howell of the Colorado Working Families Party. “Delay is simply unacceptable.”

The coalition challenging the Polis Administration delay includes GreenLatinos, Colorado Working Families Party, Mi Familia Vota, NAACP Denver, and Womxn from the Mountain (collectively the “Environmental Justice Coalition”); Conservation Colorado; Environmental Defense Fund; Natural Resources Defense Council; Sierra Club; Western Resource Advocates; and Boulder County. The petition was filed by Earthjustice.

At issue is how quickly the state of Colorado joins several other states in adopting an Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) rule, which would require manufacturers to sell a certain, and increasing, percentage of electric trucks in Colorado, and also adopting a Low-Nitrogen Oxides Omnibus (Low-NOx) rule, which would require fossil fuel powered trucks to burn cleaner. These rules would help clean up tailpipe pollution from medium- and heavy-duty trucks, delivery vans, buses and school buses. The state has already adopted zero and low emission rules for cars and light trucks.

Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles are the second-largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector in the state, contributing 22% of on-road GHG emissions, despite comprising less than 10% of Colorado vehicles. They are also a significant contributor to emissions that lead to high ozone levels, Nitrogen Oxides and Particulate Matter (NOx and PM) that have serious impacts on air quality and human health. These vehicles contribute about 30% of on-road NOx emissions and 40% of on-road PM emissions. Communities along major highways like I-70, I-25 and I-270, and those near warehouses and railyards, often referred to as “diesel death zones,” bear the brunt of these high emission levels because of high truck traffic.

"Further delays to moving towards a clean truck solution invalidates the environmental justice needed now for disproportionately impacted communities harmed by cumulative impacts of pollution and environmental racism. The policy can not only restore our communities but finally address equity with the health and safety our future generations deserve, said Renée M. Chacon, Co-Founder/Executive Director of Womxn from the Mountain.

“BIPOC communities have long had to bear the brunt of environmental hazards through racist redlining which forced our neighborhoods into the most polluted areas of the state. There is finally an opportunity for change along the highways and major streets which are often found near our communities as well. This means clean air through ACT is a must, this year, without any further delay. BIPOC communities deserve to finally have environmentally safe livelihoods,” argued Katara Burrola with Mi Familia Vota.

Added Sarah Clark, Lead Organizer Colorado Sierra Club, "It's imperative that the air quality control commission expedite the Advanced Clean Trucks and the Low-Nox rulemaking and get us on track to meeting the state's climate reduction obligations. The longer we wait to pass these rules, the longer disproportionately impacted communities and our environment suffer. The time to act is now."

The coalition asserts that the Commission should not delay the ACT and Low-NOx rulemaking for several reasons. First, postponing the rulemaking hearing until 2023 would delay when the rules could go into effect in Colorado by one year, delaying air pollution and climate benefits and is contrary to the Commission’s equity and environmental justice obligations.

Second, the Commission has recently abandoned and delayed other rulemakings that would reduce pollution from the transportation sector and benefit disproportionately impacted communities, including a plan to give commuters different options and another to reduce GHG emissions from large industrial polluters. All of this delay puts the state further behind the Governor’s own plan to limit the impacts of climate change - making expedited action on the ACT and low NOx rules even more imperative.

Third, the delay will put Colorado a year behind other states in implementing these rules. Manufacturers sell vehicles where rules are in place, so buyers will have fewer choices than other states.

"The Marshall Fire has made it clear that Coloradans are already experiencing the devastating impacts of the climate crisis," said Cindy Copeland, Boulder County Air and Climate Policy Advisor. "Now is not the time to delay new clean air and climate rules. These clean truck rules will reduce air pollution for disproportionately impacted communities living close to major truck routes and improve the quality of life for the millions of Coloradans living in the Front Range's Severe Ozone Nonattainment area."

Larissa Koehler, Senior Attorney at EDF, commented, “Colorado should move forward as quickly as possible on adopting the Advanced Clean Trucks and Heavy-Duty Omnibus regulations. We need cleaner trucks to reduce pollution, help deal with climate change, and improve air quality -- particularly in communities that have an unequal burden of pollution from dirty trucks and buses. Aside from helping the state move to zero-emission and cleaner vehicles, these policies will result in good-paying jobs, as well as fuel and maintenance cost savings for fleet operators.”

The Petitioners requested that the AQCC issue a declaratory order expediting the ACT and Low-NOx rulemaking and directing the Air Pollution Control Division within the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to promptly request a rulemaking hearing that will ensure the rules are published in the Colorado Register by December 31, 2022.

"Time is of the essence," said Tafoya. "Diesel pollution is killing us now, and climate change is

threatening our health and safety now. We can't wait to act. We urge the AQCC to consider and decide this petition at its April meeting and help get clean trucks rolling in Colorado this year."

(WASHINGTON, DC) Soils have the potential to store substantial amounts of carbon and help slow climate change. There is growing interest in carbon markets that would enable investment in — and revenue from — soil carbon capture and storage. In a paper published today in the journal Science, researchers from Environmental Defense Fund and Woodwell Climate Research Center recommended creating a regional crediting framework to strengthen the integrity of the voluntary soil carbon market.  

The recommendation followed a scientific review that revealed widely disparate approaches to measuring, reporting and verifying among the 12 published protocols used to generate soil carbon credits through carbon sequestration in croplands. This variation could lead to credits that aren’t consistent or comparable.  

“To know whether the voluntary soil carbon market is driving down emissions, we need to know that one ton of carbon equals one ton of carbon, regardless of the protocol used. A regional approach would help make this possible, which is good for farmers, businesses and governments working toward climate solutions,” said Emily Oldfield, lead author and scientist at EDF. “This is the defining decade for slowing climate change. We need to get this right.” 

Measuring progress at a regional scale instead of at the project or individual field level provides the following benefits: 

• Improved accuracy of net greenhouse gas mitigation estimates: Models are the key to measuring progress and reducing verification costs for farmers and project developers. Existing models that are used to estimate soil carbon sequestration across different soil types and climates work better at regional scales, and developing regional baselines and methodologies would improve measurement and accounting of net greenhouse gas changes, including nitrous oxide, to provide a more complete picture of overall climate impacts. 

• Better visibility into how crop yields and land use are changing: Accounting across a region and viewing changes both within and outside of project boundaries ensures that the pursuit of soil carbon doesn’t jeopardize food security or shift climate pollution from one region to another. 

• More equitable market access: Public investment in a regional crediting framework can provide financial and technical assistance programs targeted to increase market access. 

• More consistent and comparable credits: A regional approach would set unified standards for high-quality credits, which would boost confidence and transparency in the voluntary market. 

“There’s growing momentum behind voluntary soil carbon credits, and it’s urgent that we ensure the market is able to deliver lasting climate benefits. Measuring and quantifying net soil carbon and greenhouse gas changes across regions reduces the risk of climate benefits being overstated and creates a stable, long-term foundation for the voluntary market,” said Jonathan Sanderman, contributing author and senior scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center. 

The regional approach recommended in the Science paper takes inspiration from the jurisdictional approach that is gaining traction for generating high-quality carbon credits for tropical forest protection. The paper recommends basing a regional approach on existing land classifications used by the United States, European Union, India and China to group together areas with similar soils, climates, and agricultural potential and constraints. 

Implementing the recommendations will require public and private investment and ample stakeholder engagement, but the benefits of a regional crediting approach are worth pursuing. This is the best way to ensure the voluntary soil carbon market generates measurable, reliable, long-term climate solutions. 

“Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and their loved ones around the world. The unfolding human tragedy must be everyone’s first priority. Peace must be restored for the sake of all those hurt by this conflict and all those threatened by its impact across the globe.

“In addition to the humanitarian crisis, the economic shock resulting from this conflict shows us the extreme danger of our dependence on fossil fuels. The world’s appetite for oil and gas creates a vicious cycle of instability, higher prices and dangerous changes to our climate. The fact is, we face two parallel crises – war and climate change. Each is a profound threat to global stability and how we respond to one should not undermine our response to the other.

“Oil and, increasingly, natural gas prices are set on the world market, so instability anywhere can bring real economic hardship everywhere. No nation can protect its people from the impact. Increasing humankind’s dependence on fossil fuels will only ensure we will face the same cycle of disruption again and again.

“It is long past time to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuel dependence. A host of new technologies are available today that can meet our energy and transportation needs without reliance on oil, gas and coal. Accelerating the transition to these technologies will free us from the geopolitics of oil and gas. This change will provide relief for consumers and business owners whipsawed by rising and unpredictable energy prices and provide a stable climate and clean air for all of us.

“As the world seeks to restore peace in Ukraine, and bring relief to its people, we must work together to build a vital future for all.”           

- Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund

(March 16, 2022) The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit today lifted a lower court’s unprecedented restrictions on the federal government’s use of the most up-to-date information about the serious harms of climate pollution in its decision-making. The Court of Appeals found the Biden administration is likely to prevail on the merits when the case is fully heard.

“The Fifth Circuit’s decision is welcome news for the millions of Americans who are harmed by climate pollution. It means policy makers can continue using the best available information to protect people from the dangers caused by climate change, to strengthen our nation’s energy security, and to help develop more well-paying American jobs,” said Vickie Patton, General Counsel for Environmental Defense Fund. “The lower court’s ruling was profoundly flawed, contrary to law, and would have put people’s lives and health at risk. It should be overturned entirely when the case is heard on the merits.”

A federal district court judge in Louisiana issued a preliminary injunction in February restricting the Biden administration from using the measure known as the “social cost of carbon.” That measure reflects the best available scientific and economic analysis, based on extensive peer-reviewed information, to determine the monetary costs imposed by climate change. The government uses it to evaluate climate damage when establishing policies.

Today a panel of judges on the Fifth Circuit issued a stay of that injunction. The Fifth Circuit ruling means policy makers can continue relying on the social cost of carbon to protect people from climate pollution while the case works its way through the judicial system

(March 15, 2022) New research shows that immediate action to reduce methane emissions could help preserve Arctic summer sea ice this century. Previous studies predict Arctic summer sea ice could disappear around mid-century without climate action. The new findings suggest that immediate action to reduce the potent climate pollutant methane, along with drastic cuts in carbon dioxide (CO₂), could help preserve Arctic summer sea ice through 2100 and beyond. 

This study is one of the first to look at how practical methane mitigation affects critical parts of the climate system beyond temperature rise. According to the study, if we reach net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050 (as motivated by the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement) and quickly enact methane reductions using all currently available solutions, the chances of saving our summer sea ice this century could increase from nearly zero without action to more than 80%. 

“Reducing current methane emissions represents a huge opportunity to help pump the brakes on global warming,” said Tianyi Sun, lead author of the study. “Quickly cutting methane along with CO₂ is our best chance at preserving Arctic summer sea ice within our lifetimes and for future generations. We must do both.”

Preserving Arctic sea ice is crucial for averting some of the most dire impacts of a warming climate, which a recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says are occurring much faster than our ability to adapt.

Preservation of Arctic summer sea ice is important not only because it’s a vital part of Arctic communities and ecosystems, but also because its absence can rapidly accelerate the speed of global warming. Loss of the bright reflective sea ice exposes more dark water surface, which absorbs more sunlight and creates additional warming. Warming of the Arctic region also contributes to permafrost thawing, which can add more methane and CO₂ to the atmosphere and increase the risk of future warming. 

The full study is available today in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

Why methane matters for sea ice

The rapid decline of Arctic summer sea ice is caused by the increasing temperature in the Arctic which is three times faster than the rest of our planet. According to the IPCC, human caused emissions of CO₂ and methane are likely the biggest drivers of disappearing Arctic sea ice.

GRAPHIC: Quickly reducing methane along with CO₂ could help save Earth’s sea ice.

Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas after CO₂ and is responsible for more than 25% of current global warming. Over the following two decades, the methane we emit today will capture over 80 times more heat than an equal amount of CO₂. This is why cutting methane now is so important to slow down warming and lower the risk of losing Arctic summer sea ice.

This study is part of a fast-growing body of research to emphasize the important benefits and feasibility of immediate methane reduction. An earlier study found that slashing emissions quickly could slow the speed of warming by about 30%.

How Arctic summer sea ice affects the climate, ecosystems and politics

About 40% of Arctic summer sea ice has vanished since 1979 (the year record keeping began). We lose about 13% of our sea ice each decade. Recent estimates suggest that we could experience our first ice-free summer as early as the 2030s. 

A seasonally ice-free Arctic has significant implications for the global climate. According to recent research, if the Arctic Ocean is free of sea ice during the sunlit part of the year, it could  generate the same heat as 25 years’ worth of human-caused CO₂ emissions at today’s level. 

Preserving sea ice maintains habitat for walruses, polar bears and other Arctic wildlife and it serves as a vital source for hunting and fishing among Indigenous Arctic communities. It can also help deter geopolitical complications that can arise from open access to Arctic waterways. 

Global response and methane solutions

At the most recent United Nations climate conference, world leaders from more than 100 countries committed to reduce global methane emissions by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030 – a promising move to help respond to the climate crisis. 

The largest sources of methane emissions are from cattle farming, leaky equipment related to oil and gas production, processing and transportation and from organic matter decomposing in landfills. But the most affordable methane reductions can be deployed at the world’s oil and gas facilities. The International Energy Agency estimates the oil and gas industry could reduce 75% of its methane with existing technologies, and more than 40% could be implemented at no net cost because stopping gas leaks ultimately preserves the industry’s product. 

Advancement in methane detection technology – including current and future methane-detecting satellites – will also make it easier and faster to find and fix the oil and gas industry’s largest methane leaks. 

This study makes it clear, however, that methane-cutting tools and technologies that are available today can make significant progress toward preserving Arctic summer sea ice and slowing the rate of global warming if we deploy them now.

14 March, 2022 — A new report reveals that the global shipping and port industry is susceptible to billions of dollars in infrastructure damage and trade disruption from climate change impacts. Authored by RTI International, a nonprofit research institute, for Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), “Act Now or Pay Later: The Costs of Climate Inaction for Ports and Shipping” explores data on climate-related disasters and projects the cost of future damages to the industry. Without ambitious action to reduce emissions, climate change impacts could cost the shipping industry up to $25 billion every year by the end of the century. 

International shipping has grown enormously in the last 25 years, more than doubling in annual trade volume. Due to this growth in combination with shipping’s reliance on heavily polluting fuels, the industry has become a large emitter of greenhouse gases, currently accounting for roughly 20% of global emissions from transportation. Meanwhile, from sea level rise to increased storm activity to inland flooding, climate change threatens shipping infrastructure and operations.  

“Just as the COVID-19 pandemic threw our ports and the global supply chain into crisis mode, the climate emergency will have major consequences for international shipping. In the face of climate breakdown, however, the shipping industry has an early warning bell and an opportunity to act,” said Marie Hubatova, senior manager for EDF's Global Transport team. “By stepping up to reduce emissions and invest in zero-carbon fuels, shipping leaders could help avoid these costly consequences and build a more sustainable future for the industry.” 

Based on past impacts and anticipated climate change scenarios, the report projects that the additional annual damages to port infrastructure could reach nearly US$ 18 billion by 2100. Storm-related port disruptions could add another US$ 7.5 billion each year, reflecting the economic losses incurred by ports, shippers, and carriers due to port closures and the costs to shipping customers. Together, these added future costs due to climate change are roughly equivalent to the total annual net earnings for the container port sector in 2019. 

Global trade is expected to grow in the future and so is the volume of goods transported by sea. However, negative ripple effects through shipping and port networks can have significant global economic consequences and the report estimates that climate change impacts can reduce maritime trade volume. Assuming a steady growth rate, global trade is expected to grow to reach 120 billion tons in 2100 – but under the worst-case climate scenario, that growth could be stunted by up to nearly 10%.  

This report summarizes existing evidence and estimates of the impacts and costs of climate-related hazards, finding that data on this topic is sparse or completely lacking for many areas. The lack of data means that the shipping industry does not have a clear picture of future circumstances and future costs could be far higher than estimated here. 

“While our report uses the best information available to paint a picture of the true economic cost of climate change on international shipping, the reality is that these figures are likely underestimating the total scale of the consequences,” said George Van Houtven from RTI. “Considering the unpredictable volatility of climate change and the immense complexity of the shipping sector, we simply need more data to show the full picture. However, the available evidence strongly indicates that the costs will be great.” 

• The industry can take several steps now to advance the transition to green shipping and reduce future climate change costs, including: 
• Committing to full decarbonization by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement.  
• Supporting a market-based mechanism to reduce shipping emissions at the International Maritime Organization. 
• Investing in zero-emission fuels and technology. 
• Supporting an equitable transition for the shipping industry to ensure the brunt of damages and adaptation costs do not disproportionately fall on developing nations. 

Many shipping leaders have already endorsed a Call to Action through the Getting to Zero Coalition, which aims for the development and deployment of commercially viable deep sea zero-emission vessels by 2030.  

“Many in the maritime sector are already committed to climate action and the need for a full decarbonization of the shipping industry by 2050,” said Project Director Ingrid Sidenvall Jegou from the Global Maritime Forum. “This report only reinforces the business case for shipping decarbonization to begin now, emphasizing that a just and equitable energy transition is an opportunity for the private sector and developing countries alike.” 

Read the full report here. 

(Washington, D.C. – March 11, 2022) EDF today praised congressional leaders for passing funding legislation that supports implementation of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and increases funding for key environmental programs. 

The FY22 omnibus appropriations package contains crosscutting federal resources central to the creation of high-quality clean energy jobs for workers, and finally allows our nation to break free from years of Trump-era budget cuts at critical environmental agencies. As a result of this funding bill, the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, and Department of the Interior will see notable budget increases. Especially laudable are increases in environmental justice funding at EPA and increased funding at DOE for development of clean energy technologies.

Unfortunately, to reach a bipartisan agreement, the bill also includes some anti-environmental policies that thwart common-sense pollution controls and undermine climate science. 

“The current global humanitarian, health, economic, and climate crises demand major investments in clean, cheaper, American-made energy and moving away from our dependence on oil and gas,” said Elizabeth Gore, Senior Vice President at EDF. “This funding bill is a useful step forward, but Congress needs to act on the major clean energy package it is considering.

“While not a perfect bill, the bipartisan agreement will boost funds to protect our environment and spur job growth in new and existing industries. We are grateful for the leadership of Chairs Leahy and DeLauro, Vice Chairman Shelby and Ranking Member Granger. We urge Congress to continue the momentum and move forward on major clean energy investments that will benefit and protect public health, advance environmental justice, and create a strong, secure future for the next generation.”

“The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule protects millions of Americans across the Eastern U.S. from smog that blows across state lines and then permeates their communities. But many coal-fired power plants in the U.S. are still polluting at levels above what is achievable through available modern solutions. EPA’s proposed update will strengthen the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, which will mean more people in downwind states will be safer from pollution that can cause serious heart and lung diseases and even early deaths. The proposed update will also encourage more power plants to invest in clean, affordable zero-emitting power, which will help more upwind states be “good neighbors” as the Clean Air Act requires. We urge EPA to swiftly finalize the update and put a more protective Cross-State Air Pollution Rule in place.”

            - Graham McCahan, senior attorney for Environmental Defense Fund

For more information, EDF, Moms Clean Air Force, and M.J. Bradley & Associates created an interactive map with detailed information about the fossil fuel-fired power plants that are the source of smog-forming NOx pollution around the country.

Today, a new study funded in part by the Environmental Protection Agency underscores the ongoing negative impacts of redlining. Researchers analyzed air quality data in over 200 cities where communities were redlined, dating back to the 1930s, and found consistently elevated levels of pollution in Black, Asian, and Latino communities.

“These findings - once again - highlight the historical and unrelenting impact of environmental racism. Redlined communities bear a disproportionate burden of poor air quality that will have a profound effect on a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes for generations to come. New policies such as the Infrastructure Framework and Environmental Justice Air Quality Monitoring Act, help move the needle, but ongoing attention and resources are needed.”

• Dr. Margot Brown, Vice President of Equity and Justice for Environmental Defense Fund

(Washington, D.C. – March 9, 2022) Environmental Defense Fund filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court today opposing Spire STL and Spire Missouri’s request that the Court review a unanimous ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit about its natural gas pipeline.

“Spire’s petition for Supreme Court review is unwarranted and should be denied,” said EDF senior attorney Erin Murphy. “The D.C. Circuit’s decision was clearly correct and there are no legal questions meriting further review. Supreme Court action is also unnecessary because there is a public process to determine the future of the Spire pipeline ongoing before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is the expert agency Congress entrusted to address these issues, and the pipeline is authorized to operate during this proceeding to ensure reliable service to St. Louis customers.”

EDF filed suit in January of 2020 over concerns that the Spire STL pipeline was granted a certificate by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) without the legally required justification that the costly pipeline was needed and beneficial to the public. That legal safeguard is designed to protect customers from unnecessary costs and landowners from inappropriate condemnation of their property.

In June of 2021 the D.C. Circuit agreed, ruling there were serious deficiencies in FERC’s approval and finding that the agency had failed to meet provisions in the Natural Gas Act meant to protect Spire customers. The court vacated the FERC orders approving the pipeline. In October of 2021, the Supreme Court declined Spire’s request to stay or halt the D.C. Circuit ruling, and FERC granted Spire STL a temporary operating certificate to continue operating the pipeline until mid-December.

Spire filed a renewed stay request and petition for certiorari with the Supreme Court on December 3 regarding the D.C. Circuit’s vacatur of the FERC pipeline orders. FERC granted Spire STL an extended temporary certificate to operate the pipeline throughout the remand proceeding, and Spire subsequently withdrew its renewed stay request. EDF’s filing today opposes the petition for certiorari. The U.S. Government, on behalf of FERC, also opposes Supreme Court review in this matter.

“Going forward, we believe FERC must do a better job of assessing the benefits and burdens of the infrastructure it approves to ensure customers are protected from unnecessary costs,” said Murphy.

“California and 16 other states across the nation have adopted innovative clean car standards that will help us build healthier communities, save families hard earned money at the gas pump, and create jobs. We applaud EPA for correcting the past administration’s unlawful roadblocks to state progress, and for enabling states across the country – from California to Colorado to Minnesota to Maine – to continue their leadership roles in advancing clean car standards.”

            - Alice Henderson, senior attorney for Environmental Defense Fund

“Joe Goffman’s nomination is great news for everyone who wants cleaner air and a safer climate. Joe gets the urgency of the climate crisis and has the deep experience that will be needed in this job. As assistant administrator of EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, Joe will focus on protecting the health of American families and communities, anchor his decisions in law and science, and carry out the President’s vision for a stronger and cleaner economy.

"Joe has dedicated his career to the protection of human health and the environment at EPA, as a professional staff member serving the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee, here at Environmental Defense Fund, and as the Executive Director of the Harvard Environmental and Energy Law Program. His extensive expertise will mean greater protections for the millions of Americans all across our nation who are harmed by climate and air pollution."

• Fred Krupp, President, Environmental Defense Fund

(Washington, D.C. – March 7, 2022) Today, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed strengthened standards for harmful air pollution from freight trucks and buses starting with model year 2027. Alongside these standards the Biden administration announced a suite of investments and tools it would pursue to help immediately accelerate zero-emitting vehicle deployment.

“Heavy-duty vehicles like freight trucks, delivery vans, transit buses and school buses are a significant source of both climate pollution and deadly diesel pollution,” said Peter Zalzal, EDF Senior Counsel and Associate Vice President for Clean Air Strategies. “Today’s EPA proposal and the administration’s planned actions and investments are an important start, but they do not yet ensure levels of zero-emission vehicle deployment that are feasible and needed. Rapid deployment of zero-emission vehicles will protect the health of all Americans, help address the climate crisis, provide economic benefits to fleets and help create good-paying American jobs, and strengthen our energy security in the face of increasingly volatile global markets. We look forward to working with EPA to substantially strengthen these proposed standards and to ensure we are using every tool in the toolbox to rapidly deploy zero-emitting solutions.”

Medium and heavy-duty vehicles are less than ten percent of all the vehicles on our roads, but they are responsible for almost a quarter of all climate pollution and more than half of the smog-forming pollution from the transportation sector. That dangerous pollution disproportionately harms low-income communities and communities of color. These vehicles also consume more than 55 billion gallons of fuel annually. This fuel is a significant cost for truckers and fleets, and fuel has likewise faced recent price increases and supply uncertainties related to the volatile global geo-political landscape.  

Today’s EPA proposal strengthens standards for smog-forming NOx pollution from diesel vehicles, including one proposed option similar to California’s standards for NOx pollution from these vehicles. The proposal also includes incremental strengthening of standards for climate pollution from some vehicles. EPA has asked for comments on whether substantially stronger standards that could more meaningfully drive zero-emission vehicle deployment may be appropriate in light of the rapidly changing market for zero-emitting vehicles – vehicles that can eliminate all harmful tailpipe pollution.

Today the administration also announced investments and actions to accelerate near-term zero-emitting vehicle deployment. These include new funding for electric school buses, leveraging existing funding for zero-emitting solutions in the bi-partisan infrastructure bill, driving down pollution at ports through Department of Transportation grants, and accelerating innovation through the Department of Energy’s SuperTruck3 Program.

It is critical that EPA standards and complementary administration actions drive substantial deployment of zero-emission vehicles. EDF has done extensive analysis on the cost, availability, and benefits of deploying zero-emitting solutions, including:

• A recent report from Roush Industries analyzing the rapidly declining cost of zero-emitting solutions and concluding that in 2027 zero-emitting vehicles will in many cases have lower up-front costs and in all cases lower total cost of ownership
• An analysis by MJ Bradley and Associates concluding that a transition to zero-emission vehicles is feasible across many urban and community-based applications
• An EDF analysis evaluating the health and societal benefits of transition to zero-emission vehicles which concluded we could save a total of 57,000 lives and produce $485 billion in net societal benefits by 2050

(Washington, D.C. – March 2, 2022) Environmental Defense Fund, along with a coalition of health and environmental groups, today moved to intervene in lawsuits challenging EPA’s Clean Car Standards for cars and passenger trucks in model years 2023 to 2026. The groups filed their motion to intervene in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

“These clean car standards will deliver enormous climate and public health benefits, saving consumers money while simultaneously growing our economy and creating well-paying American jobs,” said Alice Henderson, senior attorney and director of transportation and clean air policy for Environmental Defense Fund. “In fact, many of the states that are challenging the Clean Car Standards are home to U.S. manufacturing sites where billions of dollars in investments are creating good jobs in the kind of clean car solutions that will save families hard-earned money at the gas pump and will strengthen our national security.”

EPA’s Clean Car Standards for light-duty vehicles in model years 2023 to 2026 replace the prior administration’s weakened standards and are the most protective clean car standards our nation has ever adopted to address the climate crisis and protect our communities from unhealthy air. EPA estimates that by 2050 they will eliminate 3.1 billion tons of climate pollution and will save Americans as much as $420 billion in fuel costs. Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis joined EPA Administrator Michael Regan when the standards were announced in December, and the standards were broadly supported by states, companies, labor representatives, health and environmental groups and many other stakeholders.

Groups that filed lawsuits by Monday’s deadline for judicial review include oil, ethanol and biofuel interests, and a coalition of states led by Texas.

Environmental Defense Fund is joined in our motion to intervene by Conservation Law Foundation, Environmental Law & Policy Center, Natural Resources Defense Council, Public Citizen, Sierra Club, and Union of Concerned Scientists.

In addition to today’s motion to intervene, EDF also released a fact sheet documenting the billions of dollars manufacturers have invested in clean vehicles solutions and tens of thousands of clean vehicle-linked jobs in states that are challenging the Clean Car Standards. These include: Ford’s $5.8 billion investment in a facility in Glendale, Kentucky; GM’s $2.3 billion investment in its Lordstown, Ohio plant; and Tesla's $1 billion manufacturing plant in Travis County, Texas (Tesla has also promised to invest $10 billion in that plant over time, supporting 20,000 direct jobs).

“President Biden sent a clear signal tonight that he will continue to deliver on his promise to prioritize America’s clean energy economy. We join him in his call for Congress to pass his bold and transformative climate and energy agenda that will deliver good-paying jobs, lower costs for families, provide cleaner air and water, and fight climate change.

“The Biden Administration has already demonstrated its commitment to a ‘whole of government’ approach to climate action. Under the president’s leadership, America has rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement, federal agencies are implementing ambitious climate strategies, and the federal government is implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including investments that will help drive meaningful climate progress. 

"Now Congress needs to act. Congress has the power to enact the bold, transformative legislation laid out by the president. For the sake of America’s families, communities and future, Congress must get this done.”

• Elizabeth Gore, Senior Vice President, Political Affairs