AUSTIN, Texas — RRC Commissioner Wayne Christian today praised President Donald Trump and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy for finalizing new fuel economy standards that roll back Biden-era mandates, reduce regulatory burdens on automakers and give consumers more choices when buying a vehicle.
The new ‘Freedom Means Affordable Cars’ standards set a fleetwide average fuel economy target of 34.9 miles per gallon by model year 2031, down from the Biden administration's unrealistic 50.4 mpg target. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the changes are projected to reduce the average cost of a new vehicle by $1,300, save Americans $138 billion over five years and prevent more than 300,000 serious injuries and 1,900 deaths by encouraging consumers to purchase newer vehicles.
"This isn't just about fuel standards," Christian said. "It's about putting an end to the idea that Washington bureaucrats should be able to dictate what Americans drive, how manufacturers build their products or what energy sources our economy uses. President Trump is putting the American consumer back in the driver's seat."
Christian noted that this follows several actions taken by the Trump administration to roll back Biden-era climate and energy regulations. These include the EPA's February 2026 repeal of the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding and the subsequent elimination of the off-cycle credit used to implement the start-stop feature in American vehicles. The administration has also repealed major Biden-era greenhouse gas requirements for power plants and proposed eliminating the remaining federal greenhouse gas standards for the power sector.
“Sound energy policy should be grounded in real-world conditions, not mandates built around unrealistic climate targets,” Christian added. “I am grateful that the Trump administration is committed to rolling back years of misguided federal policies that have driven up energy costs, undermined reliability and harmed American manufacturing and energy production.”
About the Railroad Commission:
Our mission is to serve Texas by our stewardship of natural resources and the environment, our concern for personal and community safety, and our support of enhanced development and economic vitality for the benefit of Texans. The Commission has a long and proud history of service to both Texas and to the nation, including more than 100 years regulating the oil and gas industry. The Commission also has jurisdiction over alternative fuels safety, natural gas utilities, surface mining and intrastate pipelines. Established in 1891, the Railroad Commission of Texas is the oldest regulatory agency in the state. To learn more, please visit https://www.rrc.texas.gov/about-us/.
