Trump embraces gas guzzlers and air pollution by weakening fuel economy standards

Here is a 193-word summary of the news article: The Trump administration has announced a rollback of fuel economy rules finalized by the Biden administration. The new proposal from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) would set a federal fuel economy standard of around 34.5 miles per gallon by 2031, far lower than the 50.4 mpg target set under Biden. Critics argue this will increase costs for drivers through higher fuel expenses, while also threatening progress on reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The higher Biden-era standards were expected to save Americans billions in fuel costs and avoid hundreds of millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide. Trump claims the rollback will lower car prices by $1,000, but clean energy advocates dispute this. The move aligns with the administration's broader agenda to boost fossil fuel production, even as it eliminates incentives for electric vehicles. Automakers that have paid hundreds of millions in penalties for failing to meet fuel economy rules are applauding the change, which frees them from those requirements. Overall, the policy shift prioritizes the interests of the oil and gas industry and traditional automakers over environmental and consumer protection concerns.