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Automakers and White House to Meet on Trump's Fuel Economy Plan

Automakers and White House to Meet on Trump's Fuel Economy Plan

(Bloomberg) -- White House officials will meet with automakers and industry groups on Thursday to discuss the Trump administration’s proposed overhaul federal fuel economy standards for autos, two people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named discussing a private meeting, said.

The meeting, slated for Thursday afternoon, comes a little more than a month after the Trump administration proposed dramatic changes to fuel efficiency and emissions policy that would roll back Obama-era standards.

The Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration jointly proposed to cap fuel economy requirements at a fleet average of 37 miles per gallon starting in 2020 instead of rising gradually to 47 mpg under standards enacted by the Obama administration.

The proposal would also revoke the authority of California regulators to set tailpipe carbon dioxide standards of their own that go further in limiting pollution than federal rules. Automakers would prefer one standard but fear a messy legal battle between Washington and Sacramento, and have urged the two sides to negotiate a deal.

Thursday’s meeting with carmakers comes after the EPA, NHTSA, White House and California Air Resources Board officials on Aug. 29 jointly agreed to future talks on the rules.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ryan Beene in Washington at rbeene@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net, Elizabeth Wasserman

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