Environmental organisations sue the Trump administration over the removal of fuel-economy standards

Three environmental organisations, the Sierra Club, the Environmental Defense Fund and the Center for Biological Diversity, filed a lawsuit on Friday against the Trump administration over the removal of federal fuel-economy standards, asking the court to stop the lowering of efficiency requirements for new cars, as USA Today reports.

The groups, together with the Conservation Law Foundation and Public Citizen, argue that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ignored its own analysis when it decided to lower the fuel-economy (CAFE) target from over 50 miles per gallon by 2031 to just under 35 miles per gallon. According to the lawsuit, the weaker rules will force drivers to pay more at the pump: a car bought under the new rules will cost its driver $1,624 extra for fuel over its lifetime — $16,957 against $15,333 under the current standards.

“We are taking the Trump administration to court over this reckless removal that puts the profits of Big Oil and car manufacturers above American families”, said Katherine Garcia, a director at the Sierra Club, according to the organisations’ announcement, as USA Today reports.

The administration counters that removing the standards will make cars cheaper by around $1,300 on average. “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we have finally put an end to the illegal mandate that forced manufacturers to produce more expensive electric cars that American families did not want”, declared Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The removal has also been supported by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the car manufacturers’ lobby.

The lawsuit comes at a time when the average price of gasoline in the U.S. was $4.30 per gallon on October 2, according to AAA, while the average price of a new car approached a record $50,000 last month.