(TRENTON) — Assemblyman John F. McKeon (D-Essex, Morris), a member of the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee, released the following statement on the Trump administration’s proposal to roll back critical fuel economy standards for cars and trucks:

“The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) proposal to roll back Obama-era fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards that have proven successful is deeply disappointing and misguided.

“The proposal weakens standards beyond the request of any automaker and preempts the historic authority of states to set and enforce its own greenhouse gas tailpipe standards.

“I will not sit back idly while Trump’s administration dismantles regulations that protect the environment, keep us healthy, and spur innovation and technology.

“Our transportation sector is our country’s largest source of carbon dioxide emissions. Blocking reasonable efforts to address the pollution that we know comes from the vehicles we drive belies logic. This proposal undermines the ability of American automakers that are trying to compete in a global economy in which competitors are manufacturing more affordable and efficient vehicles because that is precisely what smart consumers are demanding worldwide. By insisting that we continue to utilize the fossil-fueled vehicles of the past, President Trump is doing no favors to American businesses, with the notable exception of the fossil fuel industry.

“What will it take for there to be more recognition on the federal level — longer heat waves, severer storms, or the extinction of parts of our environmental heritage? I hope it doesn’t get that far. However, if we continue to ignore climate change, it will hurt nations and devastate our environmental resources that should be preserved and protected for future generations.”