American Lung Association Applauds NHTSA’s Move to Recognize States’ Right to Enforce Greenhouse Gas Pollution Standards, Calls for Stronger Clean Cars Standards

In response to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recognition of California’s authority to set its own cleaner cars standards by restoring their waiver, American Lung Association National President and CEO Harold P. Wimmer issued the following statement:

“NHTSA’s action to recognize states’ right to set and enforce their own cleaner cars standards is a victory for public health. Recognizing state authority to set more protective vehicle standards is a key step to cleaning up air pollution and addressing the climate crisis.

“Climate change is a health emergency. From degraded air quality due to wildfire smoke to the formation of ground-level ozone pollution from warmer temperatures, to more extreme weather events like storms and flooding, climate change is harming the health of Americans across the country. The federal and state governments must use all available tools to address climate change. These tools include cleaning up the transportation sector, the nation’s biggest contributor to carbon pollution.

“NHTSA’s action recognizes and upholds California’s authority to develop and enact pollution controls for motor vehicles that are stronger than federal standards to ensure public health protections are tailored to address the state’s unique pollution challenges. Other states are also able to follow California’s more protective standards. In this way, states have driven decades of clean air progress and stronger standards not just at the state level, but nationwide in schemes or credits that would lead to fuel efficiency advancements on paper that don’t actually become reality. Making these standards as strong as possible is critical to drive a nationwide transition to zero-emission vehicles - this transition is happening globally, and the U.S. must not lag behind.”