WASHINGTON – The Trump administration will expand its fight against California for the future of US gas-powered vehicles, planning legislative operations with Congressional Republicans to remove California from decades-old powers and establish national fuel efficiency standards.
Two Trump administration officials confirmed Wednesday that debate is underway about California’s vast shaking over mileage standards, calling the Congressional Review Act to end California’s exemption. The Review Act allows lawmakers to reverse government rules drafted within a given window in a simple majority. One California GOP lawmaker last month introduced a law to end federal exemptions.
For decades, automakers have been part of the size of the California market, with car manufacturers bending their car production lines to meet California mileage standards, partly as they discovered that the industry is a safer bet, as they make fuel efficiency standards stricter than alternatives.
After dating President Nixon for more than 50 years, the federal government recognizes the unique and serious air pollution issues that have plagued California. The Environmental Protection Agency, based on eight presidents of both parties, granted a Clean Air Act exemption and allowed California to set stricter prevention standards than are required under federal law.
Molly Vaseliou, assistant manager of spokesperson for the EPA, told the Times that the California exemption “has a national impact.”
“We are not isolated in California. Once the EPA grants the exemption, every state has the option to follow California rules instead of federal regulations,” Vaseliou said. “California’s policy is a national alternative.”
“It takes away millions of Americans from vehicle choices and increases the costs of gas vehicles and hybrids across the country. That’s a big economic rule,” she added.
Asked at a press conference Wednesday about the management plan the New York Times previously reported, Gavin Newsom said:
One of the state’s most ambitious goals, backed by Newsom, is to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles in California by 2035. Under President Biden, federal regulators have approved the target under the ongoing waiver of the Clean Air Act.
However, the California exemption has become even more controversial as the EPA allowed 11 other states to piggyback under stricter clean air rules, including a 2035 mission to sell only zero-emission vehicles.
California rules only affect 12 states, but Republicans argue that it is equivalent to national policy as they generate about half of the country’s car sales in those states.
EPA administrator Lee Zeldin sent the exemption to Congress last week.
“The Biden administration failed to send California exemption rules to Congress, preventing members of Congress from determining highly consequential actions that have significant impacts and costs across the United States,” Zeldin said in a statement last week.
Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) has already announced plans for a resolution that “disapproves the exemption.”
“Californians should be able to choose their own means and there should be no choice determined by Gavin Newsom or unelected officials,” Killie said in a statement.
President Trump and other Republicans have expressed skepticism about the consensus of the global scientific community. This helps human activity, particularly emissions from vehicles, to promote concentration of global warming greenhouse gases.
During his first term, Trump was able to hamper California’s leadership role in vehicle emissions. His Department of Transport has issued rules prohibiting the establishment of state car pollution standards. Based on that change, Trump’s EPA has revoked legal exemptions from the state EPA, preventing the implementation of tailpipe emission standards.
California tried to directly counter the automaker. With the state’s finest air quality officials, they brokered a deal with five car manufacturers in 2019, reducing car emissions regardless of what the federal government did. When Biden won the White House in 2021, the Democratic administration restored California’s special capabilities and set air-related rules.
Trump and the Attorney General of 16 conservative-leaning states have also challenged California’s ability to set its own rules before. The US Supreme Court in December dismissed the agenda and left it open for a narrower appeal.
In 2023, the Government’s Office of Accountability discovered that California exemptions were not subject to Congressional review. However, the EPA said that despite similar GAO rulings, rules from other agencies are subject to the Parliamentary Review Act.
Dave Clegern, a spokesman for the California Air Resources Commission, questioned the legality of the Trump administration’s move.
“The Trump EPA is doing nothing to do with the EPA under a Democrat or Republican administration in 50 years. What GAO has confirmed is not in compliance with the law,” Clegern said in a statement.
Pingho reported from Washington. Laney, Wick and Wilner of Los Angeles. Times staff writer Tony Briscoe contributed to this report.
Source link
