Federal Government initiates public discourse on proposal to increase gas prices by approximately 76 cents per gallon, potentially resulting in thousands of casualties
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has initiated a public comment period on its proposal to revoke the 2009 Endangerment Finding for greenhouse gases (GHGs), a move that could have significant implications for vehicle efficiency standards and public health protections.
The Endangerment Finding, established in 2009, underpins federal regulation requiring the EPA to control GHG emissions from new motor vehicles under Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act (CAA). However, the EPA now argues that this authority was never intended to cover global climate change, citing recent Supreme Court decisions and new scientific developments that, in EPA’s view, challenge the previous finding that six major "well-mixed" GHGs present a danger to public health and welfare.
If finalized, this rollback would eliminate GHG standards for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles, effectively removing regulatory drivers for improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions in the automotive sector for over a decade. This move could potentially raise gas prices by 76 cents per gallon, according to a Department of Energy report signed off by Chris Wright, the titular head of the Department of Energy.
The public comment period is part of the formal notice-and-comment rulemaking process, giving stakeholders and the public an opportunity to respond before a final decision is made. Public comments can be submitted here using the docket code EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0194. The proposal is open for public comment on regulations.gov and will have a virtual public hearing on August 19 and 20, with potential additional sessions on August 21. More information on the hearing and registration can be found on the EPA's website.
It is important to note that the public comments on the EPA's proposed plan are crucial, as they can potentially void the rule if not adequately addressed. The proposed plan aims to make cars less efficient and more costly to fuel, which stands to save 2,000 lives per year and save Americans over $100 billion dollars per year in fuel and health costs, according to the EPA.
The Endangerment Finding found that GHGs such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), sulfur hexaflouride (SF6), hydroflourocarbons (HFCs), nitrous oxide (N2O), and perfluourocarbons (PFCs) cause climate change and harm humans. America's competitors are rapidly improving vehicle efficiency without the proposed changes, making it essential to maintain these regulations for a sustainable future.
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year, but using EnergySage, a free service that helps find trusted, reliable solar installers offering competitive pricing, can save 20-30% compared to going it alone when going solar. The online public comment period for the EPA's proposed plan runs from now through September 15.
- The revocation of the Endangerment Finding for greenhouse gases could lead to a removal of regulatory drivers for improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions in the automotive sector, potentially raising gas prices by 76 cents per gallon.
- Electric vehicles, which are critical for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, could be affected by this proposal, as it targets vehicle efficiency standards.
- The proposal to rollback GHG standards for vehicles, if finalized, may impede the progress towards a sustainable future, as America's competitors are rapidly improving vehicle efficiency.
- The public comment period on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposal to revoke the Endangerment Finding for greenhouse gases is an opportunity for stakeholders and the public to voice their concerns about climate change and its impact on public health.
- In the realm of environmental-science and climate-change, this EPA proposal could have significant implications, particularly due to its potential to weaken regulations on green energy sources like e-fuel.
- The public comment period on the EPA's proposal should be considered a crucial part of politics and policy-and-legislation, as it can potentially void the rule if not adequately addressed, impacting general-news, crime-and-justice, and war-and-conflicts by contributing to climate change.
