Nixing Tailpipe Emissions Rules Will Spike Gas Prices, Trump Admin Report Says originally appeared on Autoblog.
The EPA touted savings for Americans
On July 29, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it was in the process of rescinding the landmark 2009 endangerment finding, a decision that set the course for regulations regarding greenhouse gas emissions, such as those from cars and power plants.
In its announcement, the EPA noted that if its proposal is finalized, greenhouse gas emissions regulations for motor vehicles and engines would be repealed, which it claims would restore consumer choice and give Americans the ability to purchase a safe and affordable car for their families, thereby decreasing the overall cost of living.
“With this proposal, the Trump EPA is proposing to end sixteen years of uncertainty for automakers and American consumers,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a statement. "[...] If finalized, rescinding the Endangerment Finding and resulting regulations would end $1 trillion or more in hidden taxes on American businesses and families."
Revoking emissions policies will make gas expensive, the US EIA finds
Despite promising $54 billion in annual savings for Americans, a new report from CBS News, using data from the EPA and the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), shows that one vital resource that enables everyday transportation will become more expensive over time if the EPA successfully rescinds the 2009 endangerment finding.
According to EIA projections cited by both CBS and the EPA, gas prices are expected to increase over time in a scenario where emissions policies are revoked under the Trump administration, as there would be a higher demand for gas-powered cars to travel and fuel to power them.
Although gas prices are subject to intense market volatility due to various factors, USEIA data indicate that gas prices would largely fall if the environmental policies of the last administration were to remain intact, and that prices would increase under a proposed rollback of environmental regulations.
Under the Biden administration, the EPA set a new goal for new gas-powered cars to achieve 47.1 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2027 and then reach around 61.2 miles per gallon by 2035. Without those Biden-era policies, cars made in 2027 are only expected to meet a lower standard of 43.6 mpg, gradually increasing to 50.5 mpg by 2035.
In an emailed statement to CBS News, former EIA administrator Joseph DeCarolis explained that if the EPA under the Trump administration "disincentivizes electric vehicle purchases, more consumers will purchase gasoline vehicles, resulting in higher gasoline consumption and high gasoline prices for everyone."
"There's a clear causal connection between rescinding measures promoting electric vehicles, such as EPA tailpipe standards, and the projection of higher gasoline prices," he said.
In an interview on CBS’s The Takeout with Major Garrett, Zeldin did not address how the plan to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding would affect gas prices. Instead, he argued that the previous administration’s policies were costing trillions of dollars, as they were heavily restricting "[…] entire sectors of our economy, and specifically our energy economy.”
'It's important that we are applying common sense," Zeldin said, "that we are cognizant of these economic demands and that, wherever possible, when we can protect the environment and grow the economy that we will choose both."
Final Thoughts
Be that as it may, the American consumer is already at a penny-pinching point of contention, and experts warn that these proposed EPA rollbacks would add to the already expensive operating costs of gas-powered cars.
In a statement to CBS News, Peter Huether, a senior transportation research associate at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, warned that "Drivers would pay thousands of dollars more in fuel and maintenance costs over the life of a vehicle, and businesses could lose billions annually from higher trucking costs" if the Zeldin-led EPA gets its way. He added that the added cost for fuel costs "would ripple through the economy, raising prices for everyday goods and undercutting job growth."
Nixing Tailpipe Emissions Rules Will Spike Gas Prices, Trump Admin Report Says first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 6, 2025
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
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