Over 150 House Republicans sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asking that it cancel its proposed emission standards, asserting it would impose higher costs on consumers, isolate Americans in rural areas, and increase economic dependence on China.
The group, led by Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) wrote a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan addressing the agency’s standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles and heavy-duty trucks, asserting that they are an “ill-conceived effort,” according to the lawmaker’s press release.
“The light- and medium-duty vehicle proposed standards are unworkable and impractical,” the letter (pdf) stated.
“EPA estimates that the proposed standards would lead to electric vehicles (EVs) accounting for 67 percent of new light-duty vehicle sales and 46 percent of new medium-duty vehicle sales in the United States by model year 2032.”
According to the lawmakers, these figures are problematic because of how far they are from the current market share of 4.5 percent. The letter alleged the EPA standards “deliberate market manipulation to prop up EVs.”
“Furthermore, a rapid shift towards EVs would benefit only the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), as China has a stranglehold on the critical minerals supply chain and manufacturing of EV batteries.”
According to the House Republicans, China currently controls between 50 and 70 percent of the global lithium and cobalt refining that are necessary for EV batteries, and any major shift toward EVs would result in an increased dependence on the communist nation.
The group also asserted that EVs are not a guaranteed net gain in reduction of emissions: “Specifically, over its lifetime, an EV only has lower emissions than an internal combustion engine vehicle if it travels between 28,069 and 68,160 miles and remains in service for more than 10 years—circumstances which are not being realized today.”
However, the most egregious issue the lawmakers saw in the EPA standards was the fact that “the proposed standards would make life harder and even more unaffordable for Americans and their families.”
“According to Kelley Blue Book, the average price of an EV is $65,291, which is $17,197 more than the average price of an internal combustion engine vehicle. Insurance for electric cars costs $206 per month on average, which is $44 more per month than insuring a gas-powered car,” the letter stated.
The lawmakers stated that it was their belief Americans shouldn’t be forced to pay an “excessive amount for a car they do not want and cannot afford,” pointing additionally to the issues EVs have with driving range and the hardships that would bring for rural Americans who by necessity drive greater distances.
“Given that the recent EPA announcement was only a proposal, we strongly urge you to rescind this ill-considered effort,” the letter continued. “Americans want the ability to choose the vehicle that best meets their needs, that is reliable, and that they can afford—not be forced into buying an EV.”
A spokesperson for the EPA responded to The Epoch Times’s request for comment, saying, “EPA has received the letter and will review and respond accordingly.”
From The Epoch Times
