Want to keep choosing what kind of car you buy? A conservative group wants to hear from you.
Heritage Action for America has launched a comment portal to help organize opposition to a new Biden administration fuel efficiency rule.
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Biden's Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have proposed regulations that would raise fuel efficiency standards to 66 miles per gallon for cars and 54 mpg for trucks by 2032.
As of 2020, the average car averaged 24 mpg, while the average truck got 17 mpg, according to the Department of Energy.
"This regulation will increase the cost of cars and force manufacturers into a position where they will have to discontinue models," said Ryan Walker, acting executive director of Heritage Action. "The American consumer will see a loss of choice."
But it doesn't have to happen. Before implementing any new rules, federal government agencies have to go through a public comment process, something Heritage Action, the lobbying arm of the Heritage Foundation, has been emphasizing heavily over the last year.
The group said it has seen success already. For example, nearly 16,000 comments were solicited against a new interpretation of Title IX that was later delayed. The comment portals are designed to help get the word out and route feedback from voters to the government.
"We had to figure out how to explain this process to the average person so that they get it," Walker said. "What we found was we had tremendous success in some of the early regulations we weighed in on."
The White House announced the new fuel efficiency rules in July, saying they would save people money and help address climate change.
"Better vehicle fuel efficiency means more money in Americans' pockets and stronger energy security for the entire nation," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.
If passed, the rule would prevent millions of tons of CO2 emissions pollution, or the equivalent of taking roughly 233 million vehicles off the road between 2022 and 2050.
"The new standards we're proposing today would advance our energy security, reduce harmful emissions, and save families and business owners money at the pump," NHTSA acting Administrator Ann Carlson said after the proposal was published. "That's good news for everyone."
Not everyone agrees.
Heritage and other conservative groups argue the regulations will force consumers to buy cars they don't want at a higher cost.
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"If this goes into effect, 66% of cars would need to be electric to hit the marks the administration is requiring," Walker said. "Electric cars, on average, cost $20,000 more than the gas-powered alternative. The idea that the average American can find $20,000 under their couch cushion is insulting, quite frankly."
Comments can be sent in until Oct. 16.