A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official on Wednesday defended the agency against Republican lawmakers who accused EPA of overreaching its statutory authority to propose rules to establish stringent emissions standards on vehicles and power plants. 

“The proposed standards align with commitments already made by automakers and commercial vehicle manufacturers as they plan to accelerate clean vehicle technologies in the on-road vehicle fleet over the next five to 10 years,” said Joseph Goffman, principal deputy assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation.  “Consistent with EPA’s traditional approach to establishing pollution standards under the Clean Air Act, these proposals would deliver dramatic improvements in public health, notable savings for consumers and commercial fleets, and increased energy security for Americans.”