Nevada officials express concern with federal rule weakening vehicle efficiency standards

Joint Statement from the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Nevada Governor's Office of Energy

The Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient Vehicle Rule signed on March 30, 2020, undermines critical clean car standards by reducing fuel efficiency standards to only a 1.5 percent annual miles per gallon increase. This rollback hurts Nevadans by undermining deployment of new clean vehicle technologies, increasing tailpipe emissions that harm public health, and exacerbating climate change through increased air pollution. And most importantly, it will cost consumers more money at the gas pump during these most difficult and uncertain financial times.

Under the leadership of Governor Sisolak, Nevada is accelerating efforts to address climate change including capturing the many benefits of sustainable transportation options for Nevadans. With transportation related emissions now representing the greatest share of greenhouse gases in Nevada, the administration’s decision to rollback clean car standards is an unfortunate step backwards. Reducing harmful air pollution and fostering vibrant communities requires steady, but aggressive increases in vehicle efficiency standards that save consumers money. This rollback undermines our efforts to rapidly decarbonize Nevada’s transportation sector to help protect the health of Nevada’s children and families, and create needed new jobs as we expand our role in the clean energy economy.

As a member of the U.S. Climate Alliance, Nevada was proud to support the “clean cars promise” with other Alliance states advocating for strong vehicle emissions standards and defending the right of states to adopt higher miles per gallon standards for passenger cars and trucks. Nevada remains committed to meeting its climate change and sustainability goals — reducing greenhouse gas emissions from all sources, addressing emissions from cars and trucks, providing Nevadans with clean air and improving the quality of life for citizens and visitors in Nevada. We’re proud to lead on these important issues. We all must collaborate — federal and state governments, automakers and autoworkers, and the advocates for public health and the environment — and find a way to get auto manufacturers and the auto supply chain through these tumultuous economic times and on a feasible pathway toward achieving zero emissions transportation as the economy rebounds.