The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the United States, accounting for 20% of total emissions, with cars, trucks, planes, and ships burning fossil fuels that pollute our air and drive climate change. [16] The EPA had long regulated emissions from the transportation section under the Clean Air Act, helping reduce toxic air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur oxides, and particulate matter. Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence linking vehicle emissions to serious health consequences, recent regulatory rollbacks threaten to undo decades of progress to clean up air pollution, putting the health of millions of Americans at risk.
What’s Being Repealed?
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (2021) and Inflation Reduction Act (2022) made historic investments in transitioning the United States to a cleaner transportation system. [13]
These laws:
- Allocated $10 billion for clean public transit and school buses to remove diesel-powered buses from the streets and protect children from inhaling toxic fumes.
- Provided $7.5 billion to expand electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, ensuring Americans could afford and access cleaner alternatives.
- Offered consumer incentives for electric vehicles and battery production to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower emissions.
However, in 2025, new federal actions have begun dismantling these critical programs:
- The EPA’s clean car standards are at risk of repeal, weakening health protections that limit greenhouse gas emissions. [1][16]
- The U.S. Department of Transportation has withdrawn fuel economy standards, making vehicles less efficient and increasing gas consumption. [8]
- Congress is actively working to repeal key provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, removing incentives for electric vehicles, charging stations, and clean energy programs. [7]
- Halting Funding for EV Charging Infrastructure: The Trump administration instructed states to suspend the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, effectively pausing the expansion of the national EV charging network. [15]
- Reevaluation of State Emission Waivers: The Trump administration sought to revoke waivers that allowed states like California to implement more stringent vehicle emission standards, potentially hindering state-led clean air initiatives. EPA has requested Congress repeal granted waivers to California. [4]
What This Means for Public Health
Rolling back these critical health safeguards is not just a setback for climate action. It is a direct attack on public health.
- More asthma attacks and lung disease: Air pollution, particularly from vehicle emissions, exacerbates respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Children residing in high-traffic areas are especially susceptible, experiencing higher hospitalization rates due to elevated exposure to pollutants. Weakening air quality protections can intensify these adverse health outcomes. [3][5][12]
- Increased premature deaths: The American Lung Association projects that stronger clean vehicle standards could prevent 89,000 premature deaths by 2050. Rolling back safeguards means more Americans will suffer and die from preventable air pollution exposure. [5][12]
- Higher healthcare costs: Increased air pollution leads to more emergency room visits, hospital stays, and long-term medical conditions, straining healthcare systems and driving up costs for all Americans. [3][5][10]
- Worsening environmental injustice: Low-income communities and communities of color already face the heaviest burden of air pollution, experiencing higher rates of asthma, heart disease, and other serious health issues due to their proximity to major roadways and industrial sites. Diesel emissions are a significant factor in these disparities, yet the protections in place remain insufficient. Without urgent action, transportation pollution-driven health inequities will only worsen, putting the most vulnerable at even greater risk [6]
Join Us in Defending Clean Transportation and Healthy Communities
The attacks on air quality and climate policy are direct threats to public health. Nurses are trusted health professionals and powerful advocates for clean air and environmental health policies. Join the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE) in calling members of Congress to stop the dangerous rollbacks of vital clean air protections that put public health at risk. We cannot afford to go backward. The time to act is now. Join ANHE in fighting for clean transportation, strong emissions standards, and the right to breathe clean air.
References
- American Lung Association. (2025). House Votes to Overturn Health-Protective Air Quality Rule; Senate Must Not Follow Suit. Lung.org; https://www.lung.org/media/press-releases/fy25-methane-cra-vote-statement
- American Lung Association. (2024). State of the Air 2024. Lung.org; https://www.lung.org/research/sota
- American Lung Association. (2022). Public Policy Position – Healthy Air. Lung.org; https://www.lung.org/policy-advocacy/public-policy-positions/public-policy-position-healthy-air
- California Air Resources Board. (2025). Withdrawal of California’s Request for a Waiver, Pursuant to Clean Air Act Section 209(b), and Request for Authorization, Pursuant to Clean Air Act Section 209(e)(2), for the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) Regulation, Docket ID EPA-HQ-OAR-2023-0589. https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2025-01/ca-acf-carb-withdrawal-ltr-2025-1-13.pdf
- Chowdhury, S., Pillarisetti, A., Oberholzer, A., Jetter, J., Mitchell, J., Cappuccilli, E., Aamaas, B., Aunan, K., Pozzer, A., & Alexander, D. (2023). A global review of the state of the evidence of household air pollution’s contribution to ambient fine particulate matter and their related health impacts. Environment International, 173, 107835. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.107835
- Demetillo, M. A., Harkins, C., McDonald, B. C., Chodrow, P. S., Sun, K., & Pusede, S. E. (2021). Space‐Based Observational Constraints on NO 2 Air Pollution Inequality From Diesel Traffic in Major US Cities. Geophysical Research Letters, 48(17). https://doi.org/10.1029/2021gl094333
- Institute for Environmental Research. (2025, March 4). Congress Has Voted to Repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s Methane Fee. IER. https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/regulation/congress-has-voted-to-repeal-the-inflation-reduction-acts-methane-fee/
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2024). Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE). NHTSA.gov. https://www.nhtsa.gov/laws-regulations/corporate-average-fuel-economy
- Surit, P., Wongtanasarasin, W., Boonnag, C., & Wittayachamnankul, B. (2023). Association between air quality index and effects on emergency department visits for acute respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. PloS one, 18(11), e0294107. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294107
- Supreme Court of the United States. (2023). https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/22-451_7m58.pdf
- Swarup Aithal, S. , Sachdeva, I., & Kurmi, O. P. (2023). Air quality and respiratory health in children. Breathe, 19(2), 230040–230040. https://doi.org/10.1183/20734735.0040-2023
- The White House. (2024). Inflation Reduction Act Guidebook | Clean Energy. https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/cleanenergy/inflation-reduction-act-guidebook
- The White House. (2025, January 20). Unleashing American Energy. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/unleashing-american-energy/
- US Department of Transportation. (2025, February 6). Suspending Approval of State Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plans. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/nevi/resources/state-plan-approval-suspension.pdf
- US Environmental Protection Agency. (2025, February 13). Accomplishments and Successes of Reducing Air Pollution from Transportation in the United States | US EPA. US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/transportation-air-pollution-and-climate-change/accomplishments-and-successes-reducing-air
