Trump Might Just Rescind Recent EPA Fatwas

President Donald Trump is expected announce a restart of a review of vehicle fuel efficiency rules sought by the auto industry at an event on Wednesday with the CEOs of U.S. automakers, according to two sources briefed on the matter.

Trump is expected to visit Ypsilanti, Mich., a Detroit suburb, to tout his administration’s decision to revive a review of the feasibility of the 2022-25 vehicle emissions rules, after the Obama administration moved in its final days to lock in the rules.

In addition to the chief executives of General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, officials from Japanese and German automakers are also expected to attend.

A White House official confirmed Trump plans to visit Michigan, but did not immediately confirm details.

Automakers have been pushing the Trump administration for months to reverse the Obama administration decision. The EPA had until April 2018 to decide whether the standards were feasible under a “midterm review,” but moved up its decision to a week before President Barack Obama left office in January.

Automakers argue the Obama era vehicle emissions rules, which would raise the fleet average fuel efficiency to more than 50 mpg by 2025 from 27.5 mpg in 2010, will impose significant costs and are out of step with consumer preferences. They argue they need more flexibility to meet the rules amid low gas prices.

“Environmentalists,” who favor the standards, say they will reduce fuel costs and greenhouse gases.

Of course, they never talk about how much more the cars will cost.

Trade groups representing automakers, including GM, Volkswagen AG and Toyota Motor Corp., have asked the EPA to withdraw the determination finalizing the rules, which stem from a 2011 deal the industry reached with the U.S. government.