Weaker federal fuel economy standards for cars and trucks may hurt the state's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from the transportation sector.
Jack Shapiro with the Natural Resources Council of Maine said the Trump administration's moves will also hit drivers' wallets by driving up fuel costs.
"This is something that doesn't do anything good for Maine. All it does is increase the cost of driving for people across the state," Shapiro said.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's proposed standards would replace Biden-era rules intended to increase the production of electric vehicles. Those fuel economy limits would require carmakers to produce a line of automobiles that average about 50 miles per gallon.
The department said those standards went far beyond legal requirements and amounted to an electric vehicle mandate. It says the proposed rule would achieve an average fuel economy of about 34.5 miles per hour by 2031. The department claims the proposal would save $1,000 off the average cost of a new vehicle.
"This administration understands the freedom of every American family starts with affordable cars," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a press release. "That’s why our new standards will make that dream more achievable by letting auto manufacturers produce the cars that fit family's needs at a lower price."
