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Today, we will be looking at the Biden administration’s new car emission standards, the logistical difficulties of the president’s net-zero orders and year one in the administrations conservation initiative.
Rachel Frazin was the Hill’s editor and Zack Budryk was its reporter. Send us tips to [email protected] or [email protected] Follow us on twitter: @RachelFrazinAnd @BudrykZack.
Lets jump in.
EPA raises vehicle mileage standards
The Biden administration has set its highest vehicle mileage goals yet, raising standards for small trucks and cars while reverseing a Trump-era rollback.
The following are the guidelines Final ruleThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), released Monday that the federal government will mandate that cars and light-duty vehicles achieve a 40 mpg over the next five-years.
How does this compare with past rules?This is slightly more than the 32-mile per gallon that the Trump administration requires in 2020, and slightly higher then the original goal of 38-miles per gallon set by the Biden administration.
The EPA standards for model years 2023-2026 are expected to reduce more than 3 Billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions. This is equivalent to the majority nationwide carbon dioxide emissions in 2019.
Transportation of all types is responsible for approximately 28 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, making it the largest emitter of any sector.
This is not the first Trump-era rollback of emissions.: The Biden administration reversed a Trump-era policy that allowed states to adopt stronger emission rules than the federal government. The stricter standards set forth by California have been adopted by 14 states and the District of Columbia.
The final EPA rule, which is 10 grams per mile more stringent than the Aug. 10, draft, tightens the Trump-era emissions standards. According to the Environmental Protection Network, the standards would reduce emissions by around 28 percent over the entire period they cover.
You can read more about the final rules here.
Climate goal faces federal challenge
President Biden
Joe BidenGoldman reduces 2022 growth projections after Manchin rejects BBB Biden’s unending dilemma: Dealing to Joe Manchin The day that democracy almost diedThe ambitious goal of having the government achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 is set forth in an executive order. It faces many challenges, including getting all federal employees on board.
This order is one of the most important steps to reduce U.S. emission. There are growing concerns that the world is running out time to stop the devastating effects of global warming.
The federal government is America’s largest single energy consumer. Therefore, making sure that the nation’s buildings and vehicles are carbon-neutral over the next 30 years would not only be hugely important but also a major achievement. It’s also something that climate organizations, who prefer a more ambitious timeframe for this goal, feel the U.S. must do.
So what’s the challenge?The problem is that it is difficult to get the federal bureaucracy to reform. It will require thousands of government workers and managers doing their part, as well as their individual day-to-day jobs.
Tens of thousands of people are all busy and under pressure. Their bosses tell them that it doesn’t matter how much money they spend, domestic contents, or small business. Do you want me to be sustainable? Steve Schooner, a professor at The George Washington University Law School in law procurement law, spoke out to describe the real-world problems.
He pointed out that there aren’t any rules yet for the sustainability directive and that the government staff has not been trained.
Learn more about hurdles here.
White House praises progress towards conservation goals
The federal conservation program was announced in May. It will release an annual State of Nature report and create an American Conservation and Stewardship Atlas of water management data. This was an update to the previous 30×30 initiative by the administration, which aimed at preserving 30 percent of U.S. waters and lands by 2030. However, this goal remains a stated goal.
The administration highlighted several conservation actions it took over the course of 2021 in its progress reports. It highlighted the restoration of full boundaries for the Bears Ears national monuments in Utah and Grand Staircase Escalante, which were both reduced under Trump’s administration.
Native American organizations that had lobbied for this move were unanimously in favor of the restoration of the national monument. Sen. Mitt Romney
Willard (Mitt), Mitt RomneyTrump’s Enemies List’ End of Year Edition Angelina Jolie returns home to Congress to advocate Violence Against Women Act Democrats push Manchin to support a ‘nuclear solution’ for voting rights.(R-Utah), as well as Utah state officials, who claimed the administration had frozen them out from the decision.
The report also cites the Biden administrationsproposal in November to curtail logging in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, another reversal from the Trump administration. It also mentions the suspension of oil-and gas leasing in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
You can read more about the report by clicking here.
WHAT WE’RE READING
ICYMI
Finally, something a little offbeat and unorthodox: It happens.
That’s all for today. Thank you for reading. Check out The HillsEnergy & Environment PageFor the most recent news and coverage. We look forward to seeing you Tuesday.
