North Carolina is joining a multi-state legal challenge against a federal EPA rollback of vehicle pollution standards.
Attorney General Jeff Jackson and a coalition of twenty-four states argue the move contradicts the EPA’s own analysis, which suggests the change could cost consumers nearly $1.5 trillion dollars in fuel and maintenance. Projections from the U.S. Energy Information Administration indicate gas prices could spike by up to 75 cents a gallon by 2050 as a result.
Governor Josh Stein praised the legal action, noting that the rollback threatens North Carolina’s progress in reducing emissions, which have dropped 21 percent since 2005. The coalition contends the EPA is violating the Clean Air Act and ignoring decades of established science.
The case now heads to court, where the states will fight to keep fuel-efficiency standards in place to prevent rising costs at the pump.
