New Yorkers are concerned about air pollution amid federal rollbacks of vehicle standards.
Congress is considering resolutions to reduce state authority to limit tailpipe emissions and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is considering rolling back federal fuel economy regulations. According to New York state data, vehicle emissions account for 60% of pollution in cities alone.
Margaret LaFarr, director of air resources for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, believes the current standards will help the state reach its clean air goals.
“We still are working to meet the 2015 ozone standard in the New York City metro area. We’ve known for a really long time that we need reductions from the motor vehicle sector to reach those goals and to have cleaner air in New York,” LaFarr pointed out.
The Trump administration said the changes are necessary to lower costs for Americans but data show clean vehicle and fuel economy standards are one of the best ways to keep families from feeling the full pinch of gas prices and emission health costs.
The congressional resolutions would void waivers for emission standards like those adopted by California. New York is one of a dozen states and Washington, D.C., to adopt California’s more stringent rules. LaFarr argued if federal changes go through, the state would be left with few options to reduce emissions.
“If we’re unable to use these waivers and move forward with the regulations we have in place or that we want to adopt that California has adopted, it’s going to put us behind. It is going to be problematic for us to find other emission reductions,” LaFarr emphasized.
New York’s transportation sector accounts for 34% of statewide greenhouse gas emissions. The American Lung Association’s latest State of the Air report found more than 152 million Americans still live in counties with poor ozone and air quality. In New York, 21 of the 23 counties reporting air quality data ranked poorly.
Edwin is a reporter and producer in North Tonawanda, New York. He’s previously reported for the Niagara Gazette and the Ithaca Times. Edwin got an early start in radio interning for WBFO-88.7FM, NPR’s Buffalo affiliate. In 2018, he graduated from SUNY Buffalo State College with a B.A. in Journalism, and in 2022, graduated from Syracuse University with an M.S. in Communications.