Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner Emma Cimino criticized the Trump administration's final rule released Monday rolling back federal fuel economy standards for light-duty vehicles, including passenger cars and pick-up trucks.
The rule by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration resets fuel economy standards from prior rules that established a 50.4 mpg standard by 2031 down to 34.9 mpg. The federal corporate average fuel economy standard, known as CAFE, requires auto manufacturers to meet a minimum average miles per gallon for all new passenger cars and light trucks, and has received bipartisan support since 1975.
Governor Lamont said, "Federal fuel economy standards have received bipartisan support for more than 50 years because they save everyone money at the pump and we breathe cleaner air as a result—a clear win-win. Today's action by the federal government means Americans will see more trips to the gas station, more profits for big oil, dirtier air, and less efficient vehicles. We will continue to fight bad policies from Washington here in Connecticut with programs that help you access cleaner and more efficient vehicles that save you money and create less air pollution."
Acting Commissioner Cimino said, "As with other recent Trump administration rollbacks, today's announcement costs us all. The federal fuel economy standards weakened by this rollback were projected to save Americans an estimated $82 billion at the pump—at a time when people are already struggling with steep gas prices. Over the last 10 years, the federal fuel economy standards saved the average household $630 to $840 annually. This rollback also means more air pollution in Connecticut, where residents already face high levels of emissions from cars and trucks, and negative health outcomes for people with respiratory illnesses, leading to more than $100 million in related healthcare costs annually."
According to the federal agency's own regulatory analysis, the final rule will raise fuel costs for consumers by $1,600 per vehicle and create over $345 billion in additional costs on Americans through 2050, a conservative estimate compared to current gas prices. It will also result in the loss of over 10,000 jobs by model year 2031, increase fuel consumption by 121 billion gallons, and increase greenhouse gas emissions by over 1,300 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, while constraining innovation and putting American manufacturers at further competitive disadvantage in the global auto market.
There are more than 2.7 million vehicles registered in Connecticut. Cars and trucks account for almost 70% of smog-forming emissions in the state and almost 35% of its climate pollution. Air quality in Connecticut exceeded federal health-based standards for ozone on 23 days in 2024, 22 days in 2025, and 17 days so far in 2026.