WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fuel-economy standards for trucks should be set by people who care about the economic well-being of the country and not just about the environment.

That’s the nub of a letter of protest sent from the American Truck Dealers (ATD) — a division of the National Automobile Dealers Association — and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood this week.

The organizations are worried that if a new bill gets Senate approval, the wrong people will have too much decision-making power when it comes to fuel emissions.

The existing law, established in 2007 under Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), states that the Department of Transportation (DOT) is required to take the economy into account when issuing fuel economy rules.

But the U.S. Senate is considering a bill known as the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. And if it passes, the American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would be authorized to set emissions standards for your trucks without considering the economic impact of those standards.

Considering that’s the very same agency that recently ruled that carbon dioxide is a dangerous pollutant, carriers and truck sellers have reason to be concerned.

"Under EISA," the letter states, "fuel-economy standards must be economically practicable, meaning that the Secretary must consider such important factors as job loss, consumer choice … and the health of the U.S. truck industry."

"Congress mandated that the Secretary take these important considerations into account because it would not serve the nation’s interests to set fuel economy standards that ignore these critical economic factors."

ATD chairman Kyle Treadway, who operates 19 Kenworth dealerships in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, Washington and Oregon, says there’s no reason for the law to change.

"DOT has been regulating fuel economy for more than three decades. EPA has been regulating fuel economy literally since last week."

"If the legislation passed, the result could be unaffordable fuel economy standards for truck buyers."