Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian is praising the Trump administration’s decision to lower federal fuel economy standards, arguing the changes will reduce regulatory burdens on automakers and expand consumer choice.
The U.S. Department of Transportation finalized the new standards under its “Freedom Means Affordable Cars” initiative. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates the new standards would achieve a fleetwide average fuel economy target of 34.9 miles per gallon by the 2031 model year, down from the Biden administration’s 50.4 mpg target.
According to the department, the revised standards are projected to reduce the average cost of a new vehicle by $1,300, save Americans $138 billion over five years, and prevent more than 300,000 serious injuries and 1,900 deaths by encouraging consumers to purchase newer vehicles.
“This isn’t just about fuel standards,” Christian said in a statement. “It’s about putting an end to the idea that Washington bureaucrats should be able to dictate what Americans drive, how manufacturers build their products or what energy sources our economy uses.”
Christian’s comments follow other recent efforts to reverse federal climate and energy policies.
The Trump administration repealed the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding in February 2026 and has also eliminated certain incentives for vehicle start-stop technology.
“Sound energy policy should be grounded in real-world conditions, not mandates built around unrealistic climate targets,” Christian said in his statement on the fuel economy standards. He added that he supports the administration’s efforts to reverse federal policies he believes have increased energy costs and harmed American manufacturing and energy production.
Christian has previously criticized government subsidies and regulations involving energy policy.
In September, he opposed the Railroad Commission’s approval of ExxonMobil’s carbon capture and storage permit, arguing that government incentives could increase costs for consumers. The commission approved the permit in a 2-1 vote, with Christian casting the lone dissenting vote. He said he remained concerned about the project’s long-term safety and the taxpayer subsidies supporting carbon capture initiatives.
