Washington D.C.—In response to reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will reconsider fuel economy standards beginning in model year 2021, a year earlier than the current regulatory timeline, Robbie Diamond, President and CEO of Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE), released the following statement:

“Fuel efficiency rules are part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce our oil dependence and mitigate the nation’s vulnerability to the actions of oil-exporting countries and the OPEC cartel—entities that don’t share American interests or values. We have an opportunity in front of us to leverage new technologies and business models that will solve this problem. This effort should not be about simply weakening our standards but rather modernizing the rules. It is time for California and the federal government to come together to fight OPEC and state owned oil companies, rather than fighting each other.”

“We urge NHTSA to review fuel economy standards in the context of an extended timeframe through 2035 that can incorporate new technologies like connected and self-driving vehicles, as well as new business models like ridesharing. This broader context increases the opportunities for more ambitious and achievable goals to be debated and agreed upon, while providing the necessary, long-term clarity and flexibility for the automotive industry.”

Fuel economy standards can reduce our oil dependence, strengthen our nation’s industrial base, and encourage development of innovative technologies and business models that offer fuel choice to consumers. Ninety-two percent of U.S. transportation is powered by oil, a volatile commodity supplied and controlled by countries that do not share U.S. strategic priorities. This singular dependence on oil as a fuel source jeopardizes American economic sovereignty and reorders U.S. foreign policy priorities.

About Securing America’s Future Energy

Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) is an action-oriented, nonpartisan organization that aims to reduce America’s dependence on oil. Near-total dependence on petroleum in the transportation sector undermines the nation’s economic and national security, and constrains U.S. foreign policy. To combat these threats, SAFE advocates for expanded domestic production of U.S. oil and gas resources, continued improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency, and transportation sector innovations including electric vehicles, natural gas trucks, and autonomous vehicles. In 2006, SAFE joined with General P.X. Kelley (Ret.), 28th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President, and CEO of FedEx Corporation, to form the Energy Security Leadership Council (ESLC), a group of business and former military leaders committed to reducing the United States’ dependence on oil. Today, the ESLC is co-chaired by Frederick W. Smith and General James T. Conway (Ret), 34th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

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