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Pres. Trump set to roll back federal fuel-economy requirements

Posted at 2:06 PM, Mar 07, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-07 14:06:46-05

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is moving to roll back federal fuel-economy requirements that would have forced automakers to significantly increase the efficiency of new cars and trucks. The requirements were a key part of former President Barack Obama’s strategy to combat global warming.

The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to reverse a decision made in the waning days of the Obama administration to lock in strict gas mileage requirements for cars and light trucks through 2025.

Automakers asked EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to discard a Jan. 13 decision that requires the fleet of new cars to average a real-world figure of 36 miles per gallon.

Lawmakers, industry groups and environmentalists say the administration has signaled it plans to take this step. The announcement could come as early as this week.