Posts by growthzone

President Biden Issues Final Rule on Tailpipe Standards The Biden Administration released a final rule on tailpipe standards today, reversing some Trump-era regulations and taking another step in the administration’s ambitious climate policy. The final rule, Reg. 2060-AV13, applies to vehicles model year 2023 through 2026 and requires that automakers make a 10.3 percent improvement…

U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Holds Confirmation Hearing for NHTSA Administrator The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing today on the nomination of Dr. Steven Scott Cliff, who has been tapped to be the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Dr. Cliff most recently served as the deputy executive officer of the…

FHWA Guidance Prohibits EV Charging Within Interstate Right-of-Way The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published guidance this week regarding electric vehicle charging stations within the interstate right-of-way. Federal law prohibits commercial services, including electric vehicle charging stations, within the interstate right-of-way, including rest stops. This serves to enhance the businesses of off-highway communities and towns. NATSO,…

Biden-Harris Administration Releases Electric Vehicle Charging Action Plan This week, the Biden-Harris Administration released an Electric Vehicle Charging Action Plan that outlines steps federal agencies are taking to support developing and deploying a national network of electric vehicle chargers. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, passed earlier this year, allocated $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging. The…

EU Opposes EV Tax Credits for Union-Made Vehicles The European Commission sent a letter to U.S. Senate leadership this week urging them to reconsider the electric vehicle tax credits currently included in the Build Back Better budget reconciliation plan. The letter, sent by Vladis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, is supportive of EV…

Department of Transportation Announces EV Charging Station Program The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) posted a request for comments today in the Federal Register related to the new electric vehicle (EV) charging station program. This program, which was authorized by H.R. 3684, the bipartisan infrastructure plan, will distribute money through discretionary grants for electric vehicle…

Supreme Court Rejects Volkswagen Appeals on Potential Emissions Cheating Liability This week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear appeals from automaker Volkswagen related to their potential emissions cheating scandal. This means that the case will go back to lower courts to determine whether or not Volkswagen is liable, and to what extent they will…

Federal Court Blocks President Biden’s Vaccination Mandate A Louisiana federal appeals court has blocked the mandate issued by President Joe Biden that would require companies with 100 or more employees to either verify that their employees are vaccinated or require them to wear face masks and submit to weekly COVID-19 tests. The panel of judges…

Massachusetts Bill Would Place Time Limit on Insurance Claims Investigations A committee of the Massachusetts legislature held a hearing this week on H. 1151, a bill that would limit the amount of time insurance companies have to investigate the cause of a loss, and would require the insurer to make payments for the vehicle while…