Environmental, consumer groups ask DC Circuit to review NHTSA fuel economy rule

WASHINGTON, Oct 2 — Five environmental and consumer protection organizations on Friday petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) final rule on Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, which the groups said weakens fuel economy requirements.²

The petitioners are the Center for Biological Diversity, Conservation Law Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, Public Citizen and Sierra Club, according to the petition for review.¹

The petition names as respondents NHTSA, Jonathan Morrison in an official capacity as NHTSA administrator, and Sean Duffy in an official capacity as secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.¹

The petition seeks review of the final action titled The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks, published at 91 Fed.¹ Reg.¹ 61,988 on Sept 30, 2026.¹ It was filed in accordance with 49 U.S.C. § 32909(a)(1), Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 15 and D.C. Circuit Rule 15(a)(1).¹

In a press release, the groups said the rule allows manufacturers to produce a model year 2031 fleet that is less efficient than the model year 2024 fleet.²

"It is unlawful for Trump to turn back the clock on fuel-efficient cars forcing drivers to waste more money on gas and communities to breathe toxic air," said Katherine Garcia, director of Sierra Club's Clean Transportation for All.²

The groups said NHTSA estimates the final rule will result in an increase of over 121 billion gallons of fuel consumption through 2050.² They said the administration's own projections show Americans will spend over $1,600 more on fuel over the life of the vehicles.²

The existing standards would have saved 64 billion gallons of gas and were set to deliver $35 billion in savings to consumers over the lifetimes of the vehicles covered, the groups said.²

Copies of the petition were served by hand on NHTSA and the Department of Transportation on Oct 2, 2026, according to the certificate of service.¹