Despite some alarmist reporting, President Donald Trump hasn't abolished the EPA's vehicle emission limits. So far, he's done two things: signed an executive order reopening the comment period for 2022-2025 EPA emission limits, and proposed a budget that would slash EPA. emissions Politics EPA Fuel EconomyNor has he wiped out corporate average fuel-economy rules, set by the NHTSA. MORE

heavy duty EPAThe Environmental Protection Agency unveiled this week its final rules for reducing emissions from heavy-duty trucks, including semitractor-trailers, buses, and other heavy trucks. The agency said the new rules would cut carbon dioxide emissions by 1.1 billion tons, cut fuel costs by $170 billion, and save roughly 2 billion barrels of oil over the. MORE

Environmental emissions EPA energy policy electric utilities energy air pollutionAmong currently used methods for generating electricity, coal is by far the dirtiest. But--in the U.S., at least--it's also on the decline as an energy source. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) now predicts that coal's share of U.S. electricity generation will decline from 44 percent in 2011 to 32 percent in 2040. DON'T MISS: What. MORE

EPA energy policy White House climate changeIt didn't take long for the country to get its first indication of what a Donald Trump Administration could mean for U.S. climate policy. Trump has repeatedly denied the science of climate change, calling it a "hoax" at times. Prior to his Tuesday election victory, he also named a top climate-science denier to head his Environmental Protection. MORE

emissions Politics government EPA regulation Vehicle Testing Donald TrumpThe prospect of ongoing operations as usual continues to darken for the Environmental Protection Agency. According to a detailed internal budget document published in the The Washington Post, the Trump administration wants to eliminate virtually all federal funding for the agency’s vehicle emissions and fuel-economy testing budgets. If the. MORE

EPA's contention that its 3.0-liter TDI diesel engines contained illegal emission software, Porsche's U.S. emissions EPA TDI Cayenne Diesel Touareg TDI Q7 TDI A6 TDI A7 TDI A8 TDI Q5 TDI Volkswagen diesel scandalAlthough VW headquarters in Germany came out swinging against the U.S. arm suspended sales of its Cayenne Diesel on Tuesday. Now, Volkswagen Group of America has issued a stop-sale order to its dealers for a list of pricey Audi, Porsche, and. MORE

EPA CARB plug-in cars charging charging infrastructure Volkswagen diesel scandalVolkswagen has submitted a plan for electric-charging infrastructure to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board. VW's "Electrify America" plan shows how the automaker would spend funds it is required to commit to zero-emission vehicle infrastructure under the terms of a settlement for its diesel-emissions. MORE

EPA battery pack Tesla Motors plug-in cars EPA RatingsIf anything, the pace of new Tesla model changes seem to have increased of late. Over the last year, a 60-kilowatt-hour battery option has reappeared, a new 100-kwh battery was launched, followed by a sequence of software updates to make it faster, and all Autopilot sensors were replaced with new hardware. Now, quietly, Tesla has launched a new. MORE

The 2016 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid has been rated by the EPA at 53 miles of electric range, a nice boost on Chevy's earlier promise of "at least 50 miles." The EPA also rates the 2016 Volt at 42 mpg combined when the engine is running, and 106 Miles Per Gallon Equivalent combined when operating solely on electricity. Plug-In Hybrids plug-in cars EPA Ratings BMW i3 REx MORE

Now Chevrolet has released the EPA estimated range. Efficiency plug-in cars Range Test EPA Ratings MPGeThere will be a lot riding on the tall, square shoulders of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV when it reaches the first Chevy dealers late this year. It will be the first mass-priced electric car with a range of 200 miles or more, and it will go on sale a year before the much-vaunted Tesla Model 3. MORE

Environmental emissions Politics EPA air pollution science Donald TrumpThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is emerging as one of the government entities most targeted by the new Trump Administration for change. In this case, if reports of the administration's draft budget proposal are accurate, change means wholesale elimination of staff, funding, and programs. Yesterday, however, an even more remarkable fact. MORE

At the request of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Green EPA VW Volkswagen diesel scandal emissions lawsuitThe U.S. government has now sued Volkswagen over its diesel-emissions cheating. Department of Justice filed a civil suit against Volkswagen in a Federal court in Detroit Monday. The suit alleges VW's use of "defeat device" software in diesel cars constitutes a violation of the. MORE

EPA ethanol energy policy transportation policy Renewable Fuel StandardIn 2007, Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act, which includes a Renewable Fuel Standard requiring certain amounts of ethanol to be blended into the national fuel supply. But over the past few years, the volumes of ethanol called for by the rule have been deemed unrealistic by analysts and critics. And last week, the U.S. MORE

The current EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, does not accept the scientific consensus on human contribution to climate change, though he has given some contradictory statements on that matter. emissions government EPA global warming climate change carbon dioxide science Donald TrumpHis views correspond closely to those of his boss, President Donald Trump, who notoriously compared the science to bovine excrement in a tweet and called. MORE

The Volkswagen diesel scandal continues to unfold, and last week the EPA accused Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) of failing to reveal eight separate software routines that altered the behavior of diesel engines in Jeep and Ram vehicles. This might not seem to be the most convenient moment to restart production of a gaggle of diesel cars. MORE

At that event, the EPA revealed that some 3.0-liter V-6 TDI diesel engines used by Audi, Porsche, and. emissions EPA TDI Cayenne Diesel Touareg TDI A6 TDI A7 TDI A8 TDI Q5 TDI Volkswagen diesel scandalSometimes there's no substitute for having a reporter right at a press event--with a smartphone. David Shepardson, D.C. bureau chief for The Detroit News, attended a press conference held by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today. MORE

emissions EPA NHTSA CARB CAFE Fuel Economy Corporate Average Fuel EconomyA pair of U.S. federal agencies said yesterday that while automakers had complied with the first five years of stricter fuel-efficiency laws, the industry seemed unlikely to meet 2025 targets for improving gas mileage. Rather than hitting the projected 54.5-mpg Corporate Average Fuel Economy—which translates to about 38 mpg on new-car window. MORE

A couple of weeks ago, Volkswagen seemed confident that it would be just a matter of weeks before it made some simple tweaks and got its 2016 lineup of TDI diesel vehicles certified by the EPA. The EPA has said that it has a. Green EPA TDI VW Volkswagen diesel scandal emissionsThat was before the existence of a second, and different, piece of software--previously undisclosed by VW--came to light. MORE

President-elect Donald Trump's choice of Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicates that his administration will pursue radically different energy policies from its predecessor's. emissions EPA energy policy renewable energy fossil fuels Donald Trump MORE

It looks like lobbying pays off, at least in the case of EPA emission rules. According to numerous recent reports, the EPA is expected to reopen the commenting period for vehicle-emission rules it finalized in January, more than a year ahead of schedule. emissions Politics EPA CAFE regulation Corporate Average Fuel Economy Donald Trump MORE

Just days after the presidential election, an automaker lobbying group wrote Donald Trump asking him to change, delay, or dispense with an EPA decision that kept planned exhaust-emission standards through 2025. emissions EPA jobs CAFE regulation Corporate Average Fuel Economy Donald Trump MORE

The EPA and a handful of other government agencies are now reportedly under gag orders: employees are forbidden to discuss ongoing changes, post new material on. Politics EPA global warming climate change science Donald TrumpFollowing the removal of all mentions of climate change from the White House website, the new administration has apparently trained its sites on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. MORE

The best analog to EPA administrator Scott Pruitt's latest action might be for the U.S. EPA global warming greenhouse gas climate change carbon dioxide energy fossil fuels Donald TrumpGeological Survey to undertake a "scientific critique" of theories that the world is round. After all, numerous authoritative sources over the years have raised doubts that the Earth is not flat. Surely their views deserve to be aired. Late last week, it. MORE

After much discussion, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized its first-ever standards for carbon emissions from power plants. Under the newly-finalized Clean Power Plan, the EPA will attempt to use its authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon emissions from power plants. Environmental emissions EPA energy policy climate change air pollution MORE

The EPA's carbon limits correspond exactly to NHTSA standards for corporate average fuel economy, and the EPA decision was widely (if incorrectly) reported to be about. emissions EPA NHTSA CAFE carbon dioxide Corporate Average Fuel Economy Donald TrumpTwo days ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a ruling that existing limits on tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide for 2022 through 2025 should remain in place. MORE

April 2 of this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling in Massachusetts vs EPA in which the EPA was forced to regulate carbon emissions. Carbon Footprint emissions laws EPA global warming lawsuit climate change carbon dioxide regulation MassachusettsAnniversaries often provide an opportunity to reflect on important past events, review what has happened since, and reflect upon the future. MORE

But potential changes to the EPA do not come solely from the Executive Branch. Environmental government EPA congress climate change fossil fuels scienceSince the election of Donald Trump, considerable attention has focused on how a candidate who campaigned on promoting fossil fuels would treat the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies charged with regulating those industries. Over the past few. MORE

emissions EPA TDIThe announcement came out of the blue: "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will host a media call at 12 noon EST today, Friday, September 18, to make an announcement regarding a major automaker." When it was all over, German carmakers Volkswagen and Audi had been ordered to recall half a million of its popular TDI four-cylinder diesel. MORE

The mid-July release of the EPA's Technical Assessment Report opened a 60-day. EPA NHTSA CARB CAFE Fuel Economy regulation Corporate Average Fuel EconomyIt's probably the battle that will do most to determine the carbon emission from new U.S. vehicles over the next decade. Automakers want to modify, delay, or extend the current corporate average fuel economy standards for 2022 through 2025 vehicles; regulators don't. MORE

emissions Politics government EPA regulation air pollution science Donald TrumpWhile much of the nation's capital is preoccupied with the unpredictable Trump administration and its possible ties to Russia, the fate of the Environmental Protection Agency generates less news coverage. That's not to say there hasn't been news. Administrator Scott Pruitt is proceeding swiftly with a radical plan to restructure—critics. MORE

emissions government EPA History climate change regulation air pollutionIt can be argued that the current presidential administration appears to lack interest in the traditional mission of the Environmental Protection Agency. As a candidate, Donald Trump advocated wholesale repeal of environmental regulations and increased production of fossil fuels. He has also called climate science a "hoax" created by China to hurt. MORE

Green EPA Fuel Economy TDI Volkswagen diesel scandal emissionsAnother day, another Volkswagen emission scandal? It's beginning to seem like it. The latest news is that VW Group in Germany has found "irregularities" in carbon-dioxide emission levels in roughly 800,000 vehicles, mostly diesels, producing fuel-economy figures that were too high. That discovery, it said, exposes it to a potential cost of roughly. MORE

Tomorrow is expected to be the day when President Donald Trump announces the EPA will reopen the comment period for the vehicle emissions standards it finalized in the waning days of the Obama Administration. emissions EPA climate change CAFE regulation Corporate Average Fuel Economy Donald Trump MORE

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will expand on-road emissions testing to all diesel vehicles. emissions EPA Fuel Economy EPA RatingsIn the wake of the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal, the U.S. The agency currently conducts only a handful of on-road tests of new vehicles each year, to confirm laboratory results. But Volkswagen's cheating and recent fuel-economy. MORE

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will develop better ways to detect cheating on emissions testing in the wake of the Volkswagen diesel scandal, the agency's chief says. emissions EPA regulation Volkswagen diesel scandalThe U.S. It hopes to avoid future cases like this, in which Volkswagen installed special software that allowed cars to operate differently when an emissions test was detected. MORE

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a list of top "fuel sippers," compiled from its fuel-economy ratings. Published on the EPA's Fueleconomy.gov website, the list includes. Green EPA EPA Ratings MPGe plug-in carsThe U.S. But none of them actually use any fuel at all. That's because they're all electric cars. DON'T MISS: What Is MPGe Anyway? What Is Efficiency For Electric Cars? MORE

Yesterday, he named Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt, a 48-year-old Republican, as his nominee for EPA. Environmental Politics EPA climate change carbon dioxide regulation fossil fuels Donald TrumpIf there were any doubt that president-elect Donald Trump supports fossil fuels and does not believe in the scientific consensus of climate change, his pick to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should put it to rest. MORE

EPA TDI VW plug-in cars Volkswagen diesel scandalA German newspaper has suggested that the Environmental Protection Agency wants Volkswagen to build electric cars at its assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The agency also wants Volkswagen to help build a nationwide network of DC fast-charging sites for plug-in electric vehicles. Those actions would be part of an overall settlement of the. MORE

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) crackdown for weekend racers. Now the EPA’s effectively saying, “Calm down, it was all a big. emissions EPALast week, alarm bells were sounding for large portions of the enthusiast, motorsport, and racing community, over new regulatory language that, from the sound of it, could result in a U.S. MORE

emissions EPA California Commercial vehicle TruckAlmost one-third of the heavy trucks on U.S. roads now use the most stringent emission-control systems, which radically reduce their emissions of nitrogen oxides, soot, and other pollutants. Commercial trucks log much higher annual mileage than passenger cars, especially the semi tractors that haul long-distance freight across the country. MORE

emissions EPA VW California Air Resources Board Volkswagen diesel scandalVolkswagen and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said today that they had reached an agreement on a plan to address hundreds of thousands of diesel vehicles sold over six years deliberately designed to violate U.S. emission laws. The agreement, released at 8 am California time this morning, complied with a deadline of today imposed by U.S. MORE

emissions EPA TDI VW VW Group Volkswagen diesel scandalFive months after it first hit the press, U.S. owners of 580,000 diesel vehicles with Volkswagen TDI engines are no closer to knowing how or when their cars will be modified than they were in mid-September. And if a report last week by the Reuters news service is accurate, they have at least another month to wait--and potentially longer yet. MORE

emissions EPA TDI VW GroupAmidst a growing list of probes into Volkswagen's diesel-emission cheating scandal, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expanding its investigation to cover additional diesel engines used in VW Group vehicles. The original admission by the company that it used a software "defeat device" to circumvent emission controls in real-world use. MORE