The Trump administration said it looks forward to proposing new fuel-efficiency standards after holding “productive” talks with California air regulators Wednesday, according to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Transportation Department.
“Today’s conversations between administration officials and the California Air Resources Board were productive,” the agencies said in a joint statement.
“We are fully supportive of an open dialogue that proceeds in an expedited manner,” and the agencies “look forward to moving ahead on a joint proposed rule and receiving practical and productive feedback from all stakeholders.”
But the only thing Mary Nichols, the head of the air board, agreed to was more talks, said a spokesman for the California agency.
“They agreed to have additional meetings in the future,” spokesman Stanley Young said.
Nichols, with senior CARB staff, met with Trump’s new energy adviser, Francis Brooke, and representatives of the Department of Transportation and the EPA, Young said.
President Trump called for the meeting after sitting down with the automakers last week to discuss how to move forward on fuel economy rules. The administration has said it plans to roll back the more stringent vehicle rules developed under the Obama administration, but it has not formally proposed new rules.
However, California is not pleased with Trump’s plans. The state preemptively sued the administration after Trump called for the creation of one national standard for cars and light trucks, which would undermine the Golden State’s own vehicle emissions program.
EPA in the past has granted California a waiver to implement its own, more stringent rules, as opposed to following federal vehicle standards. Other states can opt out of the federal program by agreeing to follow the California standards.
Trump asked EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to negotiate a solution that satisfies both Washington and California Gov. Jerry Brown after talking to the auto industry at the White House last week.
“We want to thank President Trump for convening this process and his steadfast commitment as it continues to move forward,” the statement read.
