Attorney General Jennifer Davenport has joined a multistate lawsuit seeking to block a Trump administration rule that substantially lowers federal fuel economy requirements for new cars and light trucks.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new standards replace rules adopted during the Biden administration and reduce the projected industrywide fuel economy requirement for model year 2031 from 49.3 miles per gallon to about 34.9 mpg.
New Jersey joined 21 other states, the District of Columbia and four local governments in filing a petition for review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
The states contend that the new standards fall short of a 1975 federal law directing NHTSA to require the highest fuel efficiency level that is technologically and economically achievable.
“Every mile driven impacts our children’s future,” Davenport said. “When we set high fuel efficiency standards, we cut the carbon emissions that contribute to climate change while saving families money at the pump—proof that protecting the environment and consumers go hand in hand.”
The Trump administration has argued that the Biden-era standards went beyond NHTSA’s authority by including electric vehicles in calculations meant to regulate the fuel efficiency of gasoline-powered vehicles. Federal officials say the revised standards will lower automobile manufacturing costs and ultimately make new vehicles less expensive for consumers.
The states reject that interpretation, arguing that NHTSA cannot disregard electric vehicles already being produced and driven when determining what level of efficiency the automobile industry can reasonably achieve.
They also contend that weaker standards will cause Americans to spend nearly $220 billion more on fuel than they would under the regulations being replaced.
The lawsuit alleges that NHTSA violated both the Administrative Procedure Act and the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.