By Protecting Clean Air Standards, U.S. Court of Appeals Does Right by Small Business

Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled in favor of clean air standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency that will increase fuel efficiency and reduce carbon pollution from power plants, measures that are strongly supported by small business owners because they will boost their bottom lines and help secure our nation's position in the emerging clean energy economy.

The Court of Appeals affirmed four major clean air protections today, including EPA Clean Car Standards, which are cost-saving fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions rules for cars and light trucks. We know entrepreneurs support these rules, as we released national polling in September that found 78 percent of small business owners favor requiring the auto industry to reduce carbon from cars and light trucks. Moreover, 4 in 5 of them support requiring automakers to meet fuel efficiency standards of 60 miles per gallon for light vehicles by 2025 (which is even higher than the current proposed standard of 54.5 mpg).

Another important outcome of today's ruling was the court's decision to protect the EPA's ability to carry out long-standing pollution regulations under the Clean Air Act. Small Business Majority's recent polling in six states found that entrepreneurs support these measures: three-quarters are in favor of the EPA determining federal limits on new power plants emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, withstanding the fact that 57 percent of them reported their businesses will be impacted directly by oversight of carbon and other emissions.

With the vast majority of small business owners agreeing government has a role in driving our country toward a cleaner, more competitive economy, it's imperative the EPA retains its capacity to carry out standards that have proven benefits for small business and the economy. We applaud today's ruling.