Fossil fuel producers, corn growers sue to block new Biden vehicle emissions rule

Biofuels groups joined oil and gas producers this week to file a lawsuit seeking to block the Biden administration’s new tailpipe emission standards they say would effectively end the sale of new, gas-powered vehicles by 2032.

The American Petroleum Institute and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers were joined by the National Corn Growers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation and several car dealerships as co-petitioners in the lawsuit that argues the Environmental Protection Agency has overstepped its authority under the Clean Air Act, which grants the agency power to regulate vehicle emissions.

In March, the EPA issued final new vehicle emissions standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles that require 68% of new passenger vehicles and 43% of new medium-duty trucks and vans to be electric by 2032, which would force automakers to produce and sell more electric vehicles to meet the new standards.

“EPA has exceeded its congressional authority with this regulation that will eliminate most new gas cars and traditional hybrids from the U.S. market in less than a decade,” the API said.

EPA “overstepped in finalizing fleetwide average standards, rather than concrete standards that all cars and trucks must meet,” according to the AFPM. “Since no gas, diesel or traditional hybrid today can meet 85 grams/mile, EPA’s averaging scheme… is clearly meant to force EV adoption.”

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