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The Biden-Harris EPA’s new air quality rules introduced from 2021-2024 will save Americans $253 billion annually, and save 202,632 lives and avoid 100 million asthma attacks by 2050, according to a new analysis by the Environmental Protection Network (EPN).

The analysis focused on sixteen major air pollution rule updates that EPA implemented over the last four years, summing up their total environmental and economic effects.

Between these rules, the sum total of benefits are staggering. EPN points out that the 202,632 lives saved by these standards by 2050 would be enough to fill up a convoy of buses on the highway all the way from Philadelphia to New York City. And that the 107 million avoided asthma attacks means fewer missed work and school says and less-crowded emergency rooms and doctors’ offices.

In terms of costs, the $253 billion saved also includes regulatory costs. Regulatory costs run on the order of $50 billion per year, and benefits of $303 billion per year. The 6:1 ratio of benefits to costs is quite high.

Total benefits calculated through 2050 run in the trillions of dollars. And due to the administration’s Justice40 initiative, many of these benefits will be seen by underserved communities.

EPN says the numbers found in its analysis are likely understated, because it focused solely on the health and climate benefits of better air quality, ignoring other work the EPA has done on “toxic chemicals, clean water and other environmental threats.” This analysis is purely for air pollution standards like smokestack and tailpipe pollution.

EPA often leaves out certain health benefits that are hard to quantify, which means the benefit-cost ratio could be improved even further if those were accounted for.

We’ve reported on many of the rules covered by this analysis before, like EPA’s light-duty vehicle exhaust rule, which will save Americans $100 billion per year on its own despite it being slightly softened from the original proposal, and its strongest-ever truck pollution rule.

EPN points out that these regulations have been popular, with broad support from the public, environmental groups, health organizations, labor unions, and even business organizations. Most of EPA’s biggest policy moves, like those on power plant, soot and tailpipe pollution, attain bipartisan public support of 70-80% when polled.

These benefits were achieved despite constant attacks by an ideologically-driven US “Supreme” Court which has shown little interest in following the law. Not only did the court tell the EPA that it can’t regulate harmful pollutants from coal plants because the Clean Air Act doesn’t tell it to (despite that the Clean Air Act does the EPA to regulate harmful pollutants), it also substituted the opinions of untrained, venue-shopped judges ahead of those of professional scientists in the incredibly stupid Loper Bright opinion that would overturn the Chevron doctrine.

The progress is also remarkable given the damage done to the EPA from 2017-2020. In that period, around 700 scientists had left the EPA, after having their work sidelined in favor of the ideologically-driven opinions of political appointees rather than well-established scientific metholodogies.

And there’s plenty reason to believe that this sort of damage could be done again under a potential future republican administration.

Climate and health savings under attack by Project 2025

EPN points out that these positive rules are under attack by industry groups (like trucking and oil companies that are trying to sue to stop truck pollution rules, despite their outsized benefits), and by political efforts like Project 2025.

Project 2025 is the latest edition of a quadrennial set of recommendations prepared for republican presidential candidates by the far-right think tank The Heritage Foundation. Among other dystopian goals, it seeks to completely gut the EPA’s ability to do work like the above, and to reverse the benefits from the above regulations.

Three-time republican candidate for president, Donald Trump, endorsed Project 2025 back in 2022. And in 2017, The Heritage Foundation bragged that action was made on most of their recommendations. So we can expect that a republican administration would seek action on many of the recommended rollbacks.

Jeremy Symons, EPN Senior Advisor said that Project 2025 “creates a huge risk in the progress that’s been made to attract the best minds to EPA,” in the wake of previous staffing challenges after the exodus of scientists the last time a republican was in the White House.

EPN had offered a bipartisan set of recommendations to the EPA in 2020 describing how the agency could “reset its course,” though there is still progress to be made to repair the agency from the damage that was done.

Rob Wolcott, EPN board chair and former EPA senior counsel to the Office of Research and Development, praised EPA’s efforts to rebuild the agency but pointed out that “it takes a great deal more time and effort and money to build an agency than to rapidly degrade it.”

Electrek’s Take

Look, we here at Electrek cover EVs, renewables and other environmental news every day. We see the headlines, we follow all the developments, we keep track of who’s pushing what.

And there has been a stark difference in the type of reporting we’ve had to do across the course of the last 8 years. While there are plenty of dumb decisions that reach across the aisle, the type of progress we’ve seen in these last 4 years is night-and-day better than the attempts at destruction of the previous 4 years.

And since our work here at Electrek (and, indeed, as living beings on the planet Earth) is to focus on and advocate for cleaner transportation options, and a cleaner environment, it behooves us to bring that information to you in a clear way.

We do not hide our bias here towards cleaner air and water, and towards a more efficient grid and transportation system. However, these biases aren’t really biases when they are or should be shared by all living beings on this planet.

Clean air is an objective good – and is the most important issue in our lives as well, given that nothing else really matters if we don’t have the basic things required for life (air, water, shelter and so on). It’s the base of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs for the entire planet.

So, in describing the progress made in these last 4 years, and the economic and environmental damage done in the previous 4 years (at the behest of coal and oil stooges who were doing so to protect the polluting industry that bought them), we hope that this brings into focus the meaning of the decision that Americans will make come November.

There are far too many people who believe that there is little difference between administrations on issues of environmental protection, or who feel that it’s absurd that any party would oppose clean air and water. But there is clear evidence showing the republicans’ current and recent history imposing more pollution and higher costs. And the analysis above shows that the difference is clear.

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Lectric Ebikes may be launching a new XP 4 this week, and it could change everything

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Lectric Ebikes may be launching a new XP 4 this week, and it could change everything

Lectric Ebikes appears to be preparing for a major new product launch, teasing what looks like the next evolution of its wildly popular folding fat tire electric bike. Based on the clues, it looks like a new Lectric XP 4 could be inbound.

In a social media post released over the weekend, the company shared a minimalist graphic reading “XP4” along with the message “Tune in 5.6.2025 9:30AM PT.” That date – this Tuesday – suggests we’re just hours away from the big reveal of the Lectric XP 4.

If true, this would mark the next generation of the most successful electric bike in the U.S. market. The current model, the Lectric XP 3.0, has become an icon of accessible, budget-friendly electric mobility. Starting at just $999, the XP 3.0 offers a foldable frame, fat tires, a 500W motor, a rear rack, lights, and hydraulic brakes – all packed into a highly shippable design that arrives fully assembled. It’s the kind of package that has helped Lectric claim the title of best-selling e-bike brand in the U.S. for several years in a row.

With the XP 3.0 still going strong, the teaser raises plenty of questions. Will the XP 4.0 be a modest update or a major leap forward? Could we see new features like torque-sensing pedal assist, a location tracking option, or upgraded performance? Or is Lectric preparing a more comfort-oriented variant, maybe even with upgraded suspension or even more accessories included standard?

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The teaser image, which features stylized stripes in grey, blue, and black, may hold some clues. One theory is that the colors represent new trim options or component upgrades. Another possibility is that Lectric is preparing multiple variants of the XP 4.0 – perhaps targeting commuters, adventurers, and off-road riders with purpose-built versions. We took the liberty of a bit of rampant speculation late last year, so perhaps that’s now worth a revisit.

At the same time though, Lectric’s penchant for launching new models at unbelievably affordable prices has never run up against such strong pricing headwinds as those posed by uncertainty in the current US-global trade war fueled by rapidly changing tariffs for imported goods.

lectric xp 3.0 hydraulic
Previous versions of the Lectric XP e-bike line have seen sky-high sales

Whatever the case, Lectric’s knack for surprising the industry with high-value, customer-focused e-bikes means expectations will be high. The brand has built a loyal following by delivering reliable performance at a price point that few can match, and any major update to the XP lineup is likely to ripple across the market.

As a young and energetic e-bike company, Lectric is also known for throwing impressive parties around the launch of new models. It looks like I may need to hop on a red-eye to Phoenix so I can see for myself – and so I can bring you all along, of course.

Be sure to tune in Tuesday at 9:30AM PT to see what Lectric has in store – and you can bet we’ll have all the details and first impressions as soon as they drop.

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U.S. crude oil prices fall more than 4% after OPEC+ agrees to surge production in June

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U.S. crude oil prices fall more than 4% after OPEC+ agrees to surge production in June

Logo of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

Andrey Rudakov | Bloomberg | Getty Images

U.S. crude oil futures fell more than 4% on Sunday, after OPEC+ agreed to surge production for a second month.

U.S. crude was down $2.49, or 4.27%, to $55.80 a barrel shortly after trading opened. Global benchmark Brent fell $2.39, or 3.9%, to $58.90 per barrel. Oil prices have fallen more than 20% this year.

The eight producers in the group, led by Saudi Arabia, agreed on Saturday to increase output by another 411,000 barrels per day in June. The decision comes a month after OPEC+ surprised the market by agreeing to surge production in May by the same amount.

The June production hike is nearly triple the 140,000 bpd that Goldman Sachs had originally forecast. OPEC+ is bringing more than 800,000 bpd of additional supply to the market over the course of two months.

Oil prices in April posted the biggest monthly loss since 2021, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs have raised fears of a recession that will slow demand at the same time that OPEC+ is quickly increasing supply.

Oilfield service firms such as Baker Hughes and SLB are expecting investment in exploration and production to decline this year due to the weak price environment.

“The prospects of an oversupplied oil market, rising tariffs, uncertainty in Mexico and activity weakness in Saudi Arabia are collectively constraining international upstream spending levels,” Baker Hughes CEO Lorenzo Simonelli said on the company’s first-quarter earnings call on April 25.

Oil majors Chevron and Exxon reported first-quarter earnings last week that fell compared to the same period in 2024 due to lower oil prices.

Goldman is forecasting that U.S. crude and Brent prices will average $59 and $63 per barrel, respectively, this year.

Catch up on the latest energy news from CNBC Pro:

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Chicago plans more, and more equitable public charging as EV sales climb

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Chicago plans more, and more equitable public charging as EV sales climb

Electric vehicles’ share of the market continues to climb in America’s second city, with BEV registrations up more than 50% in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the same period last year. Great news, but charging hasn’t up – but a new plan from Chicago Department of Transportation aims to build up enough infrastructure for the city to keep up.

In a bid to keep up with the rapid growth of EVs, Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT is currently seeking public feedback on a plan called “Chicago Moves Electric Framework.” The city’s first such plan, it outlines initiatives that include a curbside charging pilot through the city’s utility, ComEd, and expanded charging access in key areas throughout the city.

Unlike other such plans, however, the new plan aims to focus on bringing electric vehicle charging to EIEC and low income communities, too.

“Through this framework, we are setting clear goals and identifying solutions that reflect the voices of our residents, communities, and regional partners,” said CDOT Commissioner Tom Carney. “By prioritizing equity and public input, we’re creating a roadmap for electric transportation that serves every neighborhood and helps drive down emissions across Chicago.”

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Neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Chicago experience a disproportionate amount of air pollution and diesel emissions, largely due to vehicle emissions according to CDOT. Despite that, most of Chicago’s public charging stations are clustered in higher-income areas while just 7.8% are in environmental justice neighborhoods that face higher environmental burdens.

“Too often, communities facing the greatest economic and transportation barriers also experience the most air pollution,” explains Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “By prioritizing investments in historically underserved areas and making clean transportation options more affordable and accessible, we can improve both mobility and public health.”

The Framework identifies other near-term policy objectives, as well – such as streamlining the EV charger installation process for businesses and residents and implementing “Low-Emission Zones” in areas disproportionately impacted by air pollution by limiting, or even restricting, access to conventional medium- and heavy-duty vehicles during peak hours.

The Chicago Moves Electric Framework includes the installation of Level 2 and DC fast charging stations in public locations such as libraries and Chicago’s Midway Airport, “supporting not only personal EVs but also electric taxis, ride-hail and commercial fleets.”

Chicago has a goal of installing 2,500 public passenger EV charging stations and electrifying the city’s entire municipal vehicle fleet by 2035.

Electrek’s Take

Chicago Drives Electric | ComEd Press Conference
ComEd press conference at Chicago Drives Electric, 2024; by the author.

I hate to sound like a bed-wetting liberal here, guys, but Chicago is getting EVs absolutely right with big utility incentives on both vehicles and infrastructure, a governor willing to stand behind smart environmental policy, and a solid push for more and better infrastructure in the areas where they’ll do the most good. They’re even thinking of the children.

Here’s hoping more cities follow suit.

SOURCE: ComEd, via Smart Cities Dive; featured image by EVgo.

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