Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released a statement on reports that the Trump administration is planning to weaken national fuel economy standards and challenge California’s authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate tailpipe emissions.

Senator Feinstein was the lead sponsor of the bipartisan Ten-in-Ten Fuel Economy Act passed in 2007. After joining with Senator Slade Gorton (R-Wash.) to fund a 2001 study that called for increasing fuel economy standards by more than 10 mpg, and partnering with Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) to try to close the SUV loophole in 2003 and 2005, Senator Feinstein worked with Senators Snowe, Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Tom Carper (D-Del.) and others to introduce the Ten-in-Ten Fuel Economy Act.

Senators Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), chair and ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee at the time, included the bill as part of a broader commerce bill that was signed into law by President Bush in 2007. The bill requires the administration to set the maximum feasible fuel economy standards, which are currently scheduled to increase to more than 50 mpg by 2025.

“President Trump wants to force families to accept dirtier cars that cost more at the pump. In order to do that, he would have to overturn California law and ignore federal statute. California is not going to give up without a fight our authority over tailpipe emissions to the Trump administration.

“There is a reason I led the charge to strengthen the fuel economy standards in 2007. Fuel economy standards were frozen in place for three decades, and the American people insisted on stronger standards and better technology.  

“The current fuel economy standards are working, saving families more than $60 billion at the pump while reducing harmful emissions. We’re not going to let President Trump stop our progress now.”

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