The regulation on greenhouse gas emissions would require transportation departments to measure their transportation-related emissions and establish reduction targets. The U.S. Senate recently approved a resolution overturning a rule from the Federal Highway Administration that mandated states to set goals for reducing carbon emissions from vehicles on the national highway system. This regulation, known as Reg. 2125-AF99, was issued in November 2023 as part of President Joe Biden’s efforts to cut carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. Various states have challenged the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rule, citing concerns about its impact on job creation, economic development, regulatory costs, and federal overreach.
Introduced by Senators Kevin Cramer, Shelley Moore Capito, and Joe Manchin, the resolution to override Reg. 2125-AF99 passed the Senate with a 53-47 vote on April 10. Senator Jon Tester and Senator Kyrsten Sinema also supported this effort. The disapproval resolution aims to eliminate the requirement for state transportation departments to measure CO2 tailpipe emissions and set declining targets for vehicles on their highways.
The American Trucking Association (ATA) welcomed the Senate’s decision to overturn the FHWA’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rule. According to ATA Chief Advocacy and Public Affairs Officer Ed Gilroy, the rule lacks a statutory basis and could lead to project delays or cancellations. He criticized it as an example of executive overreach that adds unnecessary bureaucracy to transportation processes.
Despite opposition and court rulings against it, the White House and the FHWA remain committed to their climate goals of reducing carbon pollution by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The FHWA is assessing the court’s decision and considering its next steps in potentially continuing to pursue Reg. 2125-AF99. Please rewrite this sentence.
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