OpinionsEditorials

Trump fights for dirty air

The Trump administration announced on Sept. 18 that it will revoke California’s waiver that allowed the state to set its own standards for car emissions.

The roll back from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration withdrew the waiver the next day and will not be put into effect for another 60 days, according to the Associated Press.

Fuel emission standards set by California have been more effective than the regular national standards, and for this administration to revoke those standards is irresponsible and a disservice to both the residents of California and its environment.

Trump announced the decision in a series of tweets, in which he said that the decision will make cars both cheaper and safer, while also being better for the environment.

These claims were, as usual, full of inaccuracies and flat out lies.

In documents from the administration detailing this decision, it was stated that the cost of meeting Obama-era requirements is about $2700, and that the consumer will be able to save that much money by 2025.

However, in a 2019 study by Consumer Reports released Aug. 7, it was found that the consumer will be spending $3,300 on gas for a vehicle.

Consumer Reports also said that changing gas mileage will have little effect on the amount of roadway deaths.

While Trump himself likes to claim that the environment is better off without California’s stricter standards, his own administration has written the opposite, saying that fuel consumption across the U.S. would increase by about 500,000 barrels, according to the Associated Press.

Despite the series of lies used to justify the decision to revoke California’s ability to set its own fuel emission standards, California and 22 other states have sued Trump over the decision.

California has been able to set its own standards since the 1970s, but in 2013 the Obama administration allowed California to enforce even stricter standards. These standards have been adopted by 13 other states and the District of Columbia.

This mission to roll back as many Obama-era actions and fight against beneficial changes to help the environment is petty and risks too much.

On the contrary to Trump’s delusions of current environmental safety standards, national levels are not as effective as California’s own standards, and this move would do more harm to the environment.

California’s own emission standards help control emissions in over-populated areas, especially in Los Angeles, and with no replacement that is as good or better for the environment will continue to deteriorate establishing an even poorer air quality.

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Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

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