As a part of President-elect Donald Trump’s mission to roll again the Biden administration’s local weather insurance policies, the Republican might cancel contracts to affect the U.S. Postal Service’s fleet, Reutersrevealed Friday, citing unnamed sources conversant in transition crew discussions.
“The sources advised Reuters that Trump’s transition crew is now reviewing the way it can unwind the Postal Service’s multibillion-dollar contracts, together with with Oshkosh and Ford for tens of 1000’s of battery-driven supply vehicles and charging stations,” based on the information company.
The USPS in December 2022 introduced a five-year $9.6 billion funding that concerned electrifying 75% of its next-generation supply automobiles and putting in trendy charging infrastructure. That got here simply months after President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which included $3 billion in funding for the endeavor.
Ford didn’t reply to Reuters‘ requests for touch upon Friday, whereas Oshkosh stated that it “is absolutely dedicated to our sturdy partnership with the USPS and appears ahead to persevering with to supply our postal carriers with dependable, secure, and sustainable trendy supply automobiles, at the same time as USPS’ wants proceed to evolve.”
The USPS additionally didn’t reply to requests for remark and Trump transition crew spokesperson Karoline Leavitt declined to deal with his Postal Service plans, solely saying that “President Trump will defend the liberty of Americans to drive whichever car they select, improve his robust tariffs on Chinese-imported vehicles, and save the U.S. auto trade for generations to return. No coverage ought to be deemed official except it comes straight from President Trump.”
During the marketing campaign, Trump pledged to roll again Biden’s local weather insurance policies if Big Oil poured $1 billion into getting him elected. He additionally attacked the Democrat’s efforts to advertise a shift to electrical automobiles (EVs). Transportation accounts for the most important portion of all U.S. greenhouse gasoline emissions and the United States is the world’s high historic emitter.
Even below Biden, U.S. plans to restrict planet-heating air pollution didn’t align with the nation’s contributions to the fossil fuel-driven local weather emergency—however local weather scientists and advocates extensively backed his and later Vice President Kamala Harris’ marketing campaign main as much as final month’s election, recognizing the menace posed by Trump.
John Hanger, a Democrat who beforehand held numerous envirnomental and power positions in Pennsylvania’s authorities, responded to the Reuters reporting on social media: “Ugh! Canceling contracts to affect transportation of USPS can be soiled and dumb!”
Meanwhile, Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, stated that “it is stuff like this that may value us manufacturing jobs/alternatives.”
Some critics additionally speculated whether or not such contracts could also be redone to learn Tesla. The firm’s CEO is Elon Musk, who’s the richest man on this planet, dumped round $270 million into tremendous political motion committees backing Trump’s reelection bid, and is ready to co-lead his forthcoming Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with fellow billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy.
Last month, Reuters reported on the Trump transition crew’s plans to kill Biden’s gas effectivity requirements and a $7,500 client tax credit score for EV purchases, which Musk was requested about whereas he and Ramaswamy have been on Capitol Hill Thursday to fulfill with Republican lawmakers.
“I feel we should always do away with all credit,” Musk advised reporters—regardless of his personal firm’s reliance on Biden’s EV insurance policies.
Responding to Musk’s remark in a Friday assertion, Will Anderson, EV coverage advocate with Public Citizen’s Climate Program, stated that “as somebody who’s asking to work for the American individuals by his so-called DOGE, Musk mustn’t perpetuate crony capitalism that solely advantages himself and others with entry to Trump.”
“If we would like the American car trade to remain aggressive in a worldwide market,” he added, “then not solely ought to Musk acknowledge the good thing about the EV tax credit score for American-made automobiles, however he also needs to acknowledge the unfavourable affect billions of {dollars} in persevering with oil and gasoline subsidies could have on a society that should transition to a zero-emission and clean-energy future.”
