Volunteer State News

Nashville – Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti today joined 24 states in challenging new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations on tailpipe emissions. This unlawful action would forcibly phase out gas-powered vehicles and restructure the automobile industry around electric vehicles (EVs) at a breakneck pace. The proposal aims to boost certain EV sales from 8.4% of total vehicle sales today to 67% by 2032.

The coalition argues the regulations would damage the United States economy, undermine the reliability of our electrical grids, tax the families and businesses who depend on them, and threaten national security. 

The aggressive shift to EVs is counterproductive and misguided. America’s power grids not only lack the capacity to accommodate the proposed rule’s new demands but are also nowhere near secure enough to handle them safely. EPA’s plan also hinders American energy independence and makes the country less secure.

The attorneys general highlight how the Administration’s fast-and-furious approach to electrification will have devastating consequences for the automotive supply chain; America would be weaker and more dependent on foreign adversaries like China, which supplies many of the minerals necessary for electric vehicles.

The average EV sold for $61,448 at the end of 2022. Now is not the time for the federal government to significantly complicate the vehicle manufacturing process and raise the average price. Consumers are already experiencing record inflation, historic gasoline prices, and high utility bills. Many consumers will be unable to afford EVs even if they want them.

General Skrmetti signed the letter in addition to state attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

To read the letter in its entirety, click here.

Original source can be found here