David Friedman

Americans are suffering right now, physically, emotionally and financially. And it’s only getting worse. Unemployment claims skyrocketed to about 10 million the past two weeks. Many are struggling to make ends meet, while many more are worried about what the future holds for their jobs and paychecks. And, of course, we are all focused on the health and safety of our families, our friends and ourselves. At a time like this, we should be making investments that keep people healthier, save people money and preserve industry jobs, but a recent decision by the White House does the opposite.

For about two years now, Consumer Reports and a whole chorus of consumer, business and environmental advocates have been holding up a big red stop sign to make it clear that the White House should not drive perfectly reasonable gas mileage and emission rules off a cliff. The plan to weaken these money-saving rules was a bad idea when it was proposed two years ago. But finalizing this rollback now, as we face a global pandemic and our country is on the edge of a recession, is unconscionable. It’s lighting a match to about $300 billion — Michigan consumers alone will no longer save $10 billion because of the rollback — as the nation wrestles with a public health epidemic while trying to forestall the considerable long-term consequences from many Americans being out of work for an extended period of time.

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Americans have been spending $1 billion dollars a day on gas over the last few years, so just imagine where else some of that money could be going. Fuel savings creates a great domino effect. Less money spent on gas means more money spent on things that strengthen the economy, including new cars, which the industry will be desperate to sell in the coming months, or even years. After all, it’s people — consumers, workers and small businesses — who are the engine of America’s economy, with consumer spending responsible for nearly three quarters of the US economy! And we’ve clearly seen the effects. The average gas mileage of vehicles sold today is 24% better than it was just a decade ago, an increase that went hand-in-hand with record-level auto sales and a strong economy. So, with the U.S. on the verge of another recession, the last thing Michigan workers need right now is for consumers to be stuck spending more on gas and less on new cars for decades to come.

But hope isn’t lost. With federal agencies taking a back seat in this critical moment, we need others to take the wheel. First, we need states to do what they can to protect consumers. With transportation now the leading cause of air pollution in the country, many states, like California and Colorado, have enacted programs that require new cars to pollute less — saving fuel along the way. Now is the moment for more states, like Michigan and Illinois, to begin doing the same. These state programs are successful because they are technology-agnostic, fostering space for car companies to innovate.

Secondly, it’s time for automakers to stop trying to prevent states from enacting these kinds of pro-consumer programs. General Motors, Toyota, and Fiat Chrysler, among others, have legally sided with the White House’s effort to undo these state-based initiatives. But this is no time to be lobbying against climate, health and financial protections. As states look to reduce air pollution, and as consumers look for ways to cut back on costs over the next year, cleaner, more efficient vehicles should be part of the solution. After all, the technology to make our vehicles pollute less and go farther on fewer gallons of fuel already exists, and the state standards simply ask automakers to install it.

With our cars and trucks costing us billions to fill up, and causing the largest share of the growing climate crisis, reducing vehicle emissions and improving fuel economy would have an incredibly positive impact for the country over the next few years. Now, during a health and economic crisis, it’s more important than ever.

David Friedman is a longtime advocate for cleaner, safer cars, and currently serves as vice president of advocacy at Consumer Reports, the nonprofit consumer membership organization.