Under President Barack Obama, the EPA used its authority to set the first fuel economy standards to regulate carbon emissions from the auto industry. Those vehicles have made up less than 4 percent of new car sales in recent years, and analysts do not expect that to improve as long as gasoline prices remain low. EPA spokeswoman Julia Valentine said agency officials “are reviewing the letters” from both auto groups. Pruitt signaled during his Senate confirmation hearing that he planned to “review” the standards, along with whether California had the right to impose stricter regulations than the federal government. Because California is the largest market for car sales in the country, industry analysts expect automakers will continue to build vehicles that meet its more stringent standards regardless of any changes that come out of the EPA.

Source: Washington Post February 22, 2017 20:47 UTC