10 May 2023 Project 21 to Testify Before Environmental Protection Agency on Emission Standards for New Light- and Medium-Duty Vehicles

Biden Emission Standards Will Devastate Economy, Especially Minority Families and Businesses

Washington, D.C. – Donna Jackson, the Director of Membership Development for Project 21 – the black leadership network of the National Center for Public Policy Research – will testify today before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a public hearing titled “EPA Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicle Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.” The hearing follows EPA’s April 12, 2023, announcement of “new, more ambitious proposed standards to further reduce harmful air pollutant emissions from light-duty and medium-duty vehicles starting with model year 2027.”

The new rule, proposed by President Biden’s EPA, is an aggressive move to push the country toward electric vehicles (EVs) by mandating new emissions standards that will make it impossible for manufacturers to continue building many popular gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles in their current model lineups. While there is no similar proposal to upgrade the power grid to support this mandate, the county should brace itself for higher energy costs and increased shortages while also preparing for more expensive vehicles which most low- and middle-class families can ill afford.

Donna Jackson

“The proposed EPA rule has the distinction of harming black people on two continents, in the African nation of Congo as well as here in the United States,” states Jackson in her prepared remarks. “In the Congo, where 75% of the world’s cobalt needed for rechargeable EV batteries is located, black slave and child labor is readily being used to mine the minerals. It is well documented that their conditions are deplorable. The need for cobalt, and thus the extent of the suffering, will increase exponentially as a result of EPA’s proposed rule.”

“And if that wasn’t bad enough, this new proposed rule will create an economic hardship and serious decline in the standards of living for all Americans, but especially black Americans,” adds Jackson. “As it is, many blacks have been priced out of new vehicles and can only afford used ones, but the proposed rule would almost certainly increase used car prices as well. Overall, the consequence of this rule will remove private car ownership for many if not most black Americans.”

Donna Jackson’s statement on behalf of Project 21 can be viewed here.

The event will be livestreamed here starting at 5:00 pm ET.

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Project 21, a leading voice of black conservatives for over 25 years, is sponsored by the National Center for Public Policy Research. Its members have been quoted, interviewed or published over 50,000 times since the program was created in 1992. Contributions to the National Center are tax-deductible and greatly appreciated and may be earmarked exclusively for the use of Project 21.

Founded in 1982, the National Center for Public Policy Research is a non-partisan, free-market, independent conservative think-tank. Ninety-four percent of its support comes from some 60,000 individuals, less than four percent from foundations and less than two percent from corporations. Sign up for email updates here. Follow Project 21 on Twitter at @Project21News for general announcements. To be alerted to upcoming media appearances by Project 21 members, follow our media appearances Twitter account at @NCPPRMedia.