WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Could the Environmental Protection Agency’s current vehicle emissions standards be in jeopardy? Republicans in Congress and President-elect Trump are taking a close look at the standards.
A key part of President Biden’s legacy is on the chopping block.
“I think what President Trump will bring is a good dose of common sense about improving environmental standards,” said Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.).
New York Congressman Nick Langworthy says many of President Biden’s climate goals, such as tougher tailpipe emissions and a push toward electric vehicles, need to be reevaluated.
Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia wants to repeal the parts of the Inflation Reduction Act that deal with climate change.
“A lot of what they have in there is green banking and environmental justice spending,” Moore Capito said.
Now that Republicans have control of Congress, Moore Capito believes they can make massive changes to President Biden’s environmental policies.
“Calling back some of the regulatory areas that we think the Biden administration has overreached,” Moore Capito said.
Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee says Trump supports the technology.
“He is simply opposed to an overreaching bureaucracy that seeks to dictate and control the behavior of Americans,” Hagerty said.
Delaware Democratic Senator Chris Coons says the US needs to augment production of electric vehicles.
“I think there is a transition to clean energy underway worldwide. The Chinese are currently the world’s dominant electric vehicle manufacturer,” said Coons.
Coons says he remains sanguine that Congress will work in a bipartisan manner to meet climate goals for cars.