Minneapolis announced that it has joined an amicus brief with 17 states challenging the Trump administration's plans to weaken fuel efficiency standards for vehicles.
The federal government plans to propose a rule that would mitigate "clean car" standards set in 2016 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to the city.
Under those standards, a car company's fleet would have to average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, with new vehicles achieving a range of 31 to 61 mpg depending on the type and size of vehicle.
Seventeen states, including Minnesota, filed a lawsuit in May fighting claims made by the EPA that those standards were "not appropriate."
"We are concerned about the fact that this rollback in the 'clean car' standards would reduce our momentum on decarbonizing the transportation sector," said Kim Havey, manager of the city's sustainability division.
Following federal efficiency standards helps the city reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and meet goals outlined in its 2013 Climate Action Plan, Havey said. They also could lead manufacturers to create more electric and hybrid vehicles, he said.
Existing standards, which would take effect from 2022 to 2025, would reduce fuel consumption by more than 40 billion gallons, greenhouse gas emissions by 540 million metric tons and vehicle costs by more than $1,650 per vehicle, according to city officials.
"This is an achievable goal that has been agreed to by the car industry," Havey said. "These 'clean car' standards really do make a huge difference in keeping us moving forward."
