Automakers snub Trump to side with climate crisis, says Obama-era official

Companies are considering years of regulatory uncertainty when aligning with California's mileage standards deal

Automakers pushing back against Donald Trump's rollbacks to mileage standards want to avoid drawn-out court battles and be seen as on the right side of the climate crisis, according to one of the architects of the Obama administration rules.

Jeff Alson, who spent a decade on the standards as senior transportation and air quality adviser in the Environmental Protection Agency, said the companies are worried about years of regulatory uncertainty that could end with judges deciding against Trump.