The American Petroleum Institute (API), along with more than 100 trade groups across the transportation field, asked the Biden Administration to rethink its new rules on tailpipe emissions. In a press release from July 11, the API said that the new standards set forth by the EPA would hurt not only American consumers, but also American economic interests.
“We share the goal of reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the broader economy and, specifically, those from energy production, transportation, and use by society,” API said. “EPA’s proposals inhibit the marketplace from identifying the most efficient, lowest cost opportunities to reduce GHG emissions from vehicles and greatly restrict consumer choice. We are concerned that such a prescriptive policy is not in the best interest of the consumer or of U.S. energy and economic security.”
The United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported approximately 60% of U.S. electricity was generated from fossil fuels — including petroleum.
According to the press release, the API united with more than 100 trade associations encompassing a wide range of businesses in the transportation industry. In a joint letter, they urged the Biden administration to reconsider its intended regulations on tailpipe emissions standards for vehicles of various sizes. The organizations expressed apprehensions regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed guidelines. The press release stated that the primary goal of these companies is to ensure that consumers continue to have affordable, dependable, and fuel-efficient transportation options.
EIA added all forms of petroleum contributed to 0.6% of the electricity generation.
According to Twitter, Mike Sommers, President and CEO of API, said, “It’s a big deal when a coalition this broad & varied raises concerns about personal freedoms & consumer choice.”
World Wide Fund For Nature wrote 90% of the world’s transportation used petroleum.
According to NPR, the EPA intends to enforce regulatory penalties on companies that fail to make sufficient progress in transitioning towards electric cars within a specified timeframe. The EPA’s recently suggested regulations aim to establish an average emission requirement of 82 grams/mile for each company's vehicle production by the year 2032. This represents a notable 56% decrease compared to the targeted level set for 2026. The EPA said that the strictness of the new rules is expected to force companies to manufacture approximately 67% of their vehicles as zero-emission vehicles by 2032 in order to comply with the regulations. The article noted that Tesla is the only one car manufacturer which meets these standards today.
“No energy company will be unaffected by clean energy transitions,” Fatih Birol, executive director for the International Energy Agency, said on the agency’s website. “Every part of the industry needs to consider how to respond. Doing nothing is simply not an option.”
According to Fox News, the conclusion of the letter highlighted that implementing these recommendations from the companies would provide a safeguard against dependence on foreign adversaries and the instability of global supply chains that can arise from the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.
The EIA reported petroleum contributed to 46% of total annual U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.
According to the press release, API represents every sector of the US natural gas and oil industry, supporting 11 million jobs and supported by a growing grassroots movement. With 600 members, API produces, processes, and distributes the majority of the nation's energy. It drives environmental and safety progress through API Energy Excellence® and has developed over 800 standards since its establishment in 1919.
