Bennet Introduces Bill to Halt Administration Efforts to Roll Back Fuel Efficiency Standards

Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today spoke with several Senate colleagues to defend the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) fuel efficiency standards, ahead of introducing the Greener Air Standards Mean Our National Security, Environment, and Youth (GAS MONEY) Saved Act to block Trump administration efforts to roll back the historic 54.5 fuel economy emissions standards.

“Administrator Pruitt's decision to roll back fuel efficiency standards is a step in the wrong direction,” Bennet said in today’s press conference. “The fuel economy emissions standards were on track to save American families thousands of dollars at the pump, support the creation of more than 100,000 American jobs, and boost manufacturing—all of this while also driving American innovation and protecting our environment. Businesses in Colorado understand that these standards make sense. That’s why I have yet to hear from a company asking to roll them back. We should maintain these standards and, with them, America’s competitive edge.”

The GAS MONEY Saved Act would reaffirm the Final Determination made by the EPA in January 2017 that stated the 2012 fuel economy emissions standards are appropriate. The legislation also would block EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt from issuing rules to weaken the emissions standards for vehicles through 2025. Cosponsors of the legislation include U.S. Senators Edward Markey (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Tina Smith (D-MN).

The standards are projected to save nearly 2.5 million barrels of oil a day by 2030, around as much oil as is currently imported from OPEC countries every day, save consumers over $1 trillion, and reduce global warming pollution by six billion metric tons. Since reaching an historic agreement with the Obama administration and state leaders, the auto industry has gone from the brink of economic disaster to record auto sales in 2015 and 2016, including adding 700,000 U.S. jobs.

A copy of the GAS MONEY Saved Act is available HERE.

A video of Bennet’s remarks is available HERE. A video of the entire press conference is available HERE.