Science paper says corrections negate projected vehicle-emissions savings
A peer-reviewed study published Thursday in the journal Science identified errors in the cost-benefit analysis the Trump administration used earlier this year to justify eliminating federal vehicle emissions standards. The paper, written by a group of economists that includes Antonio Bento, examined how the administration accounted for fuel savings, technology prices, and mileage, and reported that correcting the mistakes it identified would erase the projected economic benefits of eliminating the greenhouse gas emission rules for cars and trucks.
The Trump administration revoked the emissions standards when it eliminated the endangerment finding — the legal underpinning for federal greenhouse gas regulation. The White House described the action as a deregulatory move that would produce substantial savings for consumers.
An Environmental Protection Agency analysis estimated the rollback would save Americans $600 billion to $790 billion in the coming decades. The agency attributed most of the projected savings to reduced costs for new vehicles. The new Science paper takes issue with the underlying inputs to that estimate, saying the administration’s handling of fuel savings, technology prices, and mileage — three drivers of the cost-benefit calculation — contained mistakes that, once corrected, would eliminate the projected benefits.