RFS tells EPA to use technology-neutral approach to reducing GHG emissions with honest carbon accounting

In Washington, in testimony to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Tuesday, the Renewable Fuels Association called on the agency to use honest carbon accounting and adopt a technology-neutral approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions for passenger vehicles. According to RFA, EPA’s proposed actions on vehicular emissions standards for 2027-2032 “would effectively force automakers to produce more battery electric vehicles and would strongly discourage them from pursuing other technologies that could achieve the same—or even better—environmental performance at a lower cost to Americans.”

At issue is the agency’s proposal allowing EV manufacturers to use a zero grams/mile emissions compliance value for EVs. According to RFA, “This approach falsely assumes EVs have no carbon impacts whatsoever and ignores the upstream emissions related to electricity generation, as well as the substantial emissions involved in battery mineral extraction and vehicle construction. We strongly oppose EPA’s proposal to exclude upstream emissions in the GHG accounting.”