California Poised to Phase out Sale of New Gas-Powered Cars

August 25, 2022

Print This Article Share it With Friends

by Kathleen Ronayne (Associated Press) California is poised to set a 2035 deadline for all new cars, trucks and SUVs sold in the state to be powered by electricity or hydrogen, an ambitious step that will reshape the U.S. car market by speeding the transition to more climate-friendly vehicles.

The California Air Resources Board will vote Thursday on the policy, which sets the most aggressive roadmap in the nation for moving away from gas-powered cars. It doesn’t eliminate such vehicles, however.

People can continue driving gas-fueled vehicles and purchasing used ones after 2035. The plan also allows for one-fifth of sales after 2035 to be plug-in hybrids that can run on batteries and gas.

But it sets a course for ultimately ending the era of filling up at the local gas station. The switch from gas to electric cars will drastically reduce emissions and air pollutants. The transition may be painful in parts of the state that are still dominated by oil; California remains the seventh-largest oil producing state, though its output it falling as the state pushes forward with its climate goals. READ MORE

EV prices are going in the wrong direction: Up — they’re going up (The Verge)

California air agency to ban sales of gasoline-powered cars by 2035 -- The state's long-anticipated move is expected to transform the nation's auto market (Politico)

Florida family drives into electric car problem: a replacement battery costs more than vehicle itself -- The Florida family found out a replacement for the electric car's battery would cost thousands (Fox Business)

California moves toward banning new cars running only on gas by 2035 -- The major climate regulation to be proposed by the car-clogged state could have far-reaching effects on the auto industry (Washington Post)

Is the era of the gas-powered car over? California’s decision to ban the sales of combustion engine cars is the latest victory in the transition to electric vehicles (Washington Post)

Big hurdles on the road to moving millions of U.S. drivers into EVs -- Persuading a reluctant Congress to spend big on electric vehicles may have been the easy part. Now millions of Americans need to be enticed to buy them. (Washington Post)

Calif. poised to ban sales of new gas-fueled cars by 2035 (E&E News/Climatewire)

California to approve 2035 ban on gas-powered car sales (The Hill)

California bans the sale of new gasoline cars by 2035 (Associated Press/MarketWatch)

California Air Resources Board Passes Rule to Achieve 100% Zero Emission Light-Duty Vehicle Sales by 2035 (Sierra Club)

California hits the gas on electric cars (Power Switch)

Did California just kill the gas-powered car? California’s decision to ban the sales of combustion engine cars is the latest victory in the transition to electric vehicles (Washington Post)

Blue states poised to copy California’s gas-car phaseout (Politico)

Podcast: Inside the California gas car ban (Politico Energy)

Ethanol Blog: In Blow to Biofuels, California Banning New Gas Cars in 2035 (DTN Progressive Farmer)

RFA calls California’s zero-emission vehicle rule disappointing (Ethanol Producer Magazine)

California sets sights on zero-emission vehicle future to chagrin of oil, biofuel groups (S&P Global)

What does California’s ban on gas-powered vehicles mean for ethanol? (Farm Progress/American Agriculturalist)

RFA: Wish there was a better emphasis on flex-fuel vehicles (RFD TV; includes VIDEO)

HINSON BLASTS CALIFORNIA’S PLAN TO BAN SALES OF GAS-POWERED CARS (Brownfield Ag News)

Column: What we lose when California bans gas-powered cars (Los Angeles Times)

Elon Musk Says World Needs More Oil and Gas as Bridge to Renewables (Bloomberg)

California to Ban the Sale of New Gasoline Cars: The decision, to take effect by 2035, will very likely speed a wider transition to electric vehicles because many other states follow California’s standards. (New York Times)

Opinion California’s new emissions rule speeds up the future of cars (Washington Post)

Does California Have Enough Energy to Ban Gas Cars? (AgWeb)

California Approves Plan to 'Move State Away From Oil' by 2035 (AgWeb)

California’s ban on gas-powered car sales could spread (Agri-Pulse)

CALIFORNIA’S BAN ON GAS-POWERED CARS DISAPPOINTS RFA (Brownfield Ag News)

RFA Reacts to California Combustion Engine Announcement (Southeast Regional Ag News)

Several states will follow California’s lead in banning gas-powered car sales by 2035 -- California’s decision to ban new gas-powered car sales by 2025 sheds light on similar initiatives introduced in other states. (The Hill)

Nearly Half of Voters Don’t Want Their State to Follow California’s Lead on Banning New Sales of Gas-Powered Cars -- The Golden State’s new rule, set to take full effect by 2035, is more popular than not among urban voters, and much less so for rural voters when thinking about their own states (Morning Consult)

California Wants Residents to Slow Down on Charging all the EVs -- Just over a week after announcing a 2035 ban on gas vehicle sales, California wants EV owners to not charge their cars as much because the grid can't take it. (Jalopnik)

California moves to accelerate to 100% new zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035 (California Air Resources Board)

Californians Told Not to Charge Electric Cars Days After Gas Car Sales Ban (Newsweek; includes VIDEO)

California's ban on gas-powered cars worries Minnesota's corn and soybean farmers (Star Tribune)

How quickly will electric vehicles take over, now that California has mostly banned gas-powered cars in 2035? (San Francisco Chronicle)

Letters to the Editor: Resistance against California’s EV mandate is inevitable. Regulators must prepare (Los Angeles Times)

Op-Ed: Will California’s second zero-emissions car mandate avoid the failures of the first? (Los Angeles Times)

California Sets 100 Percent Zero-Emission Vehicle Rules for New Sales by 2035 (NGT News)

California vows to ban gas-fueled cars. But its record on big climate promises is mixed (Los Angeles Times)

Republicans seek to block state gasoline car phaseouts -- One of the bills targets California's ability to override EPA's Clean Air Act with its own, stronger regulations. (E&E News)

California Just Banned Gas-Powered Cars. Here’s Everything You Need to Know -- What about hybrids? Can I still buy a used gas-powered car? An FAQ to navigating the EV future. (Inside Climate News)

Va. Senate Democrats kill effort to repeal electric car rule (Associated Press)

Excerpt from The Verge: One of the major barriers to mass adoption of electric vehicles is cost. EVs are just way too expensive, with the average price hitting an all-time high earlier this summer of $66,000. That’s disappointing because the auto industry has always promised that prices would come down as EV battery packs became more efficient to manufacture.

But even more disappointing is the rate that EV prices are increasing as compared to their gas equivalents. According to a recent analysis by car shopping database iSeeCars, electric car prices saw a year-over-year increase of 54.3 percent while gas-powered cars were up just 10.1 percent.

The reason EV prices have shot up at such a staggering rate is multilayered. There’s a global chip shortage, which caused huge production problems for the industry and sent vehicle sales tumbling. And, perhaps counterintuitively, there are high gas prices, which caused car buyers to snatch up all the EVs they could find at the dealer lots, leading to a steep drop in inventory.

...

Interestingly, the two EVs that saw the biggest price jumps year over year were also two of the most affordable vehicles on the market: the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Bolt EV. A used Leaf now sells for an average of $28,787, which represents a 45 percent increase compared to the prior year. The Leaf is reportedly nearing the end of its lifespan, with Nissan considering whether to discontinue the EV in the coming years. Meanwhile, the Bolt, which recently got a huge price discount, averages at $28,291, a 29.3 percent jump over 2021.

...

Tesla vehicles have gone up on average 19.2 percent, with the Model S seeing the biggest price jump of 27.5 percent to $83,078. The only EV to go down in price, according to iSeeCars, was the Porsche Taycan, which dropped 3.5 percent to $138,033. This decrease suggests there’s a ceiling of what car buyers are willing to pay for a used EV — even one with a desirable nameplate like Porsche.

Dealers have been marking up the price of some new EVs, especially those in hot demand, like the Ford F-150 Lightning, GMC Hummer EV, and Kia EV6. This has led to a cycle of enraged customers, spurring news stories about the outrage and leaving automakers scrambling to contain the fallout. Many of the most buzzworthy models are sold out for the year.

...

Battery prices have been declining for years, but some experts are predicting that a sharp increase in battery minerals over the next few years could lead to a rise in cell costs by as much as 20 percent. READ MORE

Excerpt from Politico: Under the program, the agency would impose a civil penalty for cars sold in violation of the targets. It would use other means to enforce new requirements for durability or battery warranty, which are designed to keep zero emissions vehicles on the road long enough to make it to the used car market and reach a wider swath of the public.

...

The latest changes to be presented to the board Thursday focus on strengthening durability requirements and encouraging automakers to participate in programs designed to reach lower-income Californians. Some environmental justice groups had urged the air agency to make participation mandatory, but it won’t be. READ MORE

Excerpt from Power Switch: California regulators approved a rule today (August 25, 2022) banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.

The move could accelerate the electric vehicle transition and reshape the nation’s auto market, but meeting that deadline will bring challenges.

The regulation requires 35 percent of new cars sold in the state to be zero-emissions by 2026. That number increases to 68 percent in 2030 and 100 percent by 2035.

Right now, EVs make up 15 percent of the state’s sales. That’s a big gap to close before the first deadline.

More EVs also mean more charging infrastructure and more electricity use, straining the state’s already-challenged power grid as it undergoes its own transition to cleaner energy.

Automakers are also already scrambling to keep up with demand, with long waiting lists of EV models. And they worry that the EV tax credit in the newly signed federal climate law could be difficult for consumers to claim because of requirements that materials be sourced from the U.S. or a nation with a U.S. free trade agreement.

...

Gas-powered cars won't disappear altogether, since most sales are of used cars. READ MORE

Excerpt from Washington Post: Of course, roadblocks remain. Producing hundreds of thousands of electric cars will require supplies of critical minerals and a pace of factory manufacturing that doesn’t currently exist. (Case in point: Ford has a three-year backlog for the Ford F-150 Lightning, thanks to sky-high demand.) The Biden administration has invested $5 billion into a network of car chargers across the country, but a recent study of chargers in the San Francisco Bay area found that over a quarter weren’t functioning.

...

And in order for consumers to take advantage of the new $7,500 EV tax credit in the recently signed Inflation Reduction Act, more minerals and batteries will have to be produced within the United States. The combination of high upfront prices, the oft-mentioned “range anxiety” and unfamiliarity with EVs may cause some Americans to resist going electric for years to come. READ MORE

Excerpt from Politico: Industry experts say reaching the new goal will require fixing supply chain issues and building charging stations — and for EV prices to come down.

“Whether or not these requirements are realistic or achievable is directly linked to external factors like inflation, charging and fuel infrastructure, supply chains, labor, critical mineral availability and pricing, and the ongoing semiconductor shortage,” said John Bozzella, the president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.

Nationwide, fully electric vehicles make up only 6 percent of total new car sales. Still, other states are expected to adopt similar targets.

...

Growth in the U.S. has been hampered by factors that include a lack of charging stations, the price of EVs and more recently by supply chain problems that have caused shortages of lithium for batteries and microchips.

...

California’s rule has some exceptions. Older gas-powered cars could still operate and be sold on the used-vehicle market. In addition, some hybrids that are powered by gas and electricity will also be allowed.

The state will require permission under the federal Clean Air Act to set the requirement of 100 percent non-gas vehicle sales, and it’s unclear how long that process will take. The Biden administration for months has been considering a separate waiver for strengthened tailpipe rules for heavy-duty trucks, with manufacturers complaining that the rule did not give them the required four-year lead time.

Such a waiver could also be vulnerable under a future Republican president opposed to the ban. READ MORE

Excerpt from DTN Progressive Farmer: CARB approved the "Advanced Clean Cars II" rule that requires all new cars and light trucks sold in the state to be zero-emissions vehicles, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

The action comes at a time when E85 ethanol sales have been growing in California, sparked by the state's low-carbon fuel standard. Fuel retailers in the state including Pearson Fuels have been expanding the number of E85 pumps at their locations.

Ethanol groups have been working to convince federal regulators and California regulators to adopt technology-neutral policies to cut carbon emissions from transportation fuels. EPA Administrator Michael Regan is on record in saying the Biden administration supports an all-of-the-above strategy in cutting emissions, although federal dollars invested in electric vehicles dwarf the amount spent on biofuels.

Renewable Fuels Association CEO and President Geoff Cooper said in a statement his group was "disappointed and mystified" by California's decision.

"This move will severely limit options and raise the cost of vehicle ownership for California consumers, while putting more strain on an already-overburdened electrical grid," Cooper said.

"While we support the state's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, we strongly disagree with the notion that electric vehicles are the only way to get there. Policies that dictate technology winners and losers often backfire and rarely deliver the desired results. We believe technology-neutral, market-based approaches like the low-carbon fuel standard are much more efficient and economical in achieving desired carbon reductions."

The RFA said ethanol has delivered nearly 27 million metric tons of greenhouse gas savings in the state's LCFS, or about 35% of the total since the policy was put in place.

"Further, the average carbon intensity of ethanol used in California has fallen substantially since 2011, as ethanol producers adopted new technologies and CARB improved its modeling," Cooper said.

"America's ethanol producers have committed to net-zero carbon emissions, on average, by 2050 or sooner and have identified multiple workable pathways toward that goal. Today, we're well on the way there and we urge California to open itself to all the possibilities that lie ahead."

The new rule requires automakers to deliver an increasing number of zero-emission light-duty vehicles each year beginning in 2026, CARB stated in a news release. Sales of zero-emission vehicles must reach 35% in 2026, grow to 68% in 2030 and reach 100% in 2035.

The board said the rule would reduce smog-causing pollution from light-duty vehicles by 25% by 2037.

"From 2026 through 2040 the regulation will result in cumulative avoided health impacts worth nearly $13 billion including 1,290 fewer cardiopulmonary deaths, 460 fewer hospital admissions for cardiovascular or respiratory illness, and 650 fewer emergency room visits for asthma," CARB said.

As a result of the regulation, CARB estimates there will be 2.9 million fewer new gas-powered vehicles sold, increasing to 9.5 million fewer conventional vehicles by 2035. "In 2040, greenhouse gas emissions from cars, pickups, and SUVs are cut in half, and from 2026 through 2040 the regulation cuts climate-warming pollution from those vehicles a cumulative total of 395 million metric tons," CARB said in the release.

In comments filed with CARB on the rule, the RFA said flexible-fuel vehicles could play an important role in carbon reduction in California.

"Higher blends of low-carbon ethanol in the current and future gasoline pool represent the nearest-term and most-affordable path for greater and immediate reductions of GHG emissions from the light-duty fleet," Cooper said in comments.

"FFVs running on 100% renewable low- to zero-carbon fuel is equivalent to the GHG benefits of battery electric vehicles and at a lower cost of the vehicle car companies have demonstrated the ability to build mass quantities of FFV engines at a negligible incremental cost." READ MORE

Excerpt from Ethanol Producer Magazine: According to CARB, the regulations applies to automakers, not dealers, and covers only new vehicle sales. The agency said the rule does not impact existing vehicles, which will still be legal to own and drive.

Plug-in hybrid, full battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles count toward an automaker’s’ requirement. Plug-in-hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) must have an all-electric range of at least 50 miles under real-world driving conditions. In addition, automakers will be allowed to meet to more than 20 percent of their overall ZEV requirements with PHEVs. Battery-electric and fuel cell vehicles will need a minimum range of 150 miles to qualify under the program, include fast charging ability and come equipped with a charging cord to facilitate charging, and meet new warranty and durability requirements, according to CARB.

The RFA cautioned that the rule will put more strain on an already overburdened power grid and is highlighting the greenhouse gas (RHG) reduction impact of the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard. READ MORE

Excerpt from S&P Global: The Advanced Clean Cars II regulations must still garner approval from the California Office of Administrative Law and final signoff from the US Environmental Protection Agency.

American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers President and CEO Chet Thompson urged the Biden administration and the EPA to step in to put a halt to what he called a "radical ban" with devastating implications for consumers, energy security and the US manufacturing economy.

Thompson criticized the new car rules as "one of the most expensive and inefficient ways to address emissions and climate change."

"Liquid fuels, and competition among various technologies, offer a faster and much more affordable pathway to cleaner transportation than any California-style ban," he said. "It is critical that President Biden and the EPA reject California's request for a Clean Air Act waiver to proceed with this unlawful ban."

He argued that allowing the regulation to stand would grant California regulators sweeping federal authority, "effectively appointing Governor [Gavin] Newsom and CARB as car and truck czars for the entire US."

California's rules are more aggressive than President Joe Biden's goal of having EVs account for 50% of new vehicle sales by 2030.

...

Platts Analytics expects California's total vehicle fleet in 2035 to include nearly 14.3 million EVs, for which approximately 44 TWh of incremental generation would be required to charge those vehicles. Total power generation in California in 2021 was 278 TWh.

California Independent System Operator spokesperson Anne Gonzales said the grid operator recognized EVs "as a promising opportunity to reduce oversupply in the middle of the day," but that it was "too early to tell the full role or impact of EVs on the power grid." READ MORE

Excerpt from Farm Progress/American Agriculturalist: The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers says providing California gets an EPA Clean Air Act waiver to allow the action, it could become law for other states too. “Consumers and elected officials in every state who want to retain decision-making power over the types of vehicles they own and drive need to press EPA to deny California’s waiver,” says AFPM President and CEO Chet Thompson.

EPA does have the ability to stop implementation, both for California and another other states that might try to adopt the same rules. “Because this would be new California policy that differs from federal policy on this front, the state will need to apply for a new waiver from the Clean Air Act,” explains Ericka Perryman, AFPM spokeswoman. Currently, EPA has already approved an allowance for any state to adopt policies identical to California’s providing California is given a waiver.

Thompson adds, “It is critical that President Biden and the EPA reject California’s request for a Clean Air Act waiver to proceed with this unlawful ban. The president’s failure to do so should concern every American as it would hand over sweeping federal government authority to California regulators, effectively appointing Governor Newsom and CARB as car and truck czars for the entire United States.”

California’s radical ban on gasoline- and diesel-fueled cars and trucks will have devastating implications for consumers, energy security and the U.S. manufacturing economy, Thompson says. “It’s also one of the most expensive and inefficient ways to address emissions and climate change. Liquid fuels, and competition among various technologies, offer a faster and much more affordable pathway to cleaner transportation than any California-style ban,” he explains. READ MORE

Excerpt from RFD TV: (Renewable Fuels Association CEO Geoff) Cooper says many flex-fuel vehicles, some not even labeled as such, are already on the road.

"There are a lot of drivers out there, across the country, that are driving flex-fuel vehicles, and didn't even know it until this summer, when they happened to be driving past a retail station and noticed that very low price for E85," said Cooper.

The U.S. flex-fuel fleet is the second-largest in the world after Brazil and had more than 21 million E85 flex-fuel vehicles registered by 2018, but a lack of refueling infrastructure continues to slow down operations. READ MORE

Excerpt from AgWeb: Under the new rules, 35% of new cars must be zero emission by 2026, 51% by 2028, 68% by 2030, and 100% by 2035. The quotas also would allow 20% of zero-emission cars sold to be plug-in hybrids.

The mandate doesn’t cover all of highway transportation: Heavy trucks that burn diesel fuel will have 10 extra years before they are banned. A proposed zero-emission mandate for heavy trucks wouldn’t hit 100% until 2045.

...

“Whether or not these requirements are realistic or achievable is directly linked to external factors like inflation, charging and fuel infrastructure, supply chains, labor, critical mineral availability and pricing, and the ongoing semiconductor shortage,” Bozzella (John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation) said in a statement. “These are complex, intertwined and global issues.” READ MORE

Excerpt from The Hill: This week, the state of Virginia revealed it is bound by a 2021 state law to also phase out gas-powered cars by 2035. However, Attorney General Jason Miyares’s (R) office said in a statement it hopes the state repeals the law so Virginians are not bound by California’s policies.

A total of 15 states have backed California’s zero-emissions vehicle requirements, while Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts and New York have taken steps to follow suit.

Similar to Virginia, both Massachusetts and Washington have so-called trigger laws in place. In Washington a 2020 law is tied to California’s emissions regulations, meaning whenever the Golden State tightens energy regulations, Washington will as well.

A bill in Massachusetts says it will follow suit if California bans gas-powered vehicles, meaning its Department of Environmental Protection is now required to write regulations for the 2035 deadline. This bill also increases rebates for residents who purchase new electric vehicles.

In Oregon, the state’s Department of Environmental Quality announced it was looking to adopt the ban, which would mandate all new light-duty vehicle sales must transition to zero-emissions by 2035.

Last year a New York bill was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul which aims to have all passenger cars and trucks sold in the state be zero-emission by 2035. For medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, the deadline is 2045. READ MORE

Excerpt from Morning Consult: Republicans are especially opposed to ban on sales of new fossil fuel-powered cars by 2035

About 7 in 10 GOP voters said they would oppose a plan like California’s in their own state, while almost 3 in 5 rural voters said the same. Meanwhile, half of Democrats backed the proposal, as did a slightly smaller share of urban voters. Suburban voters’ feelings on the matter were similar to voters overall, with about 1 in 3 supporting the ban.
Around 1 in 2 voters in the Northeast, Midwest and the South would be against a ban in their own states. Voters out West were split on such a proposal, with 42% in support of and 42% against the ban.
Climate-concerned voters were 11 percentage points more likely than voters overall to back the proposal (44%). Only 6% of voters who are not concerned with the climate said they would support the measure.

...

Failure to comply will cost automakers a $20,000 fine for each new vehicle sold in violation.

...

The ban’s implementation will potentially face legal challenges as well as some other critical roadblocks, including the fact that electric vehicles are still expensive for most buyers.

Moreover, the critical minerals market, which is needed to build batteries, is dominated by China, and the overall infrastructure for EVs, such as chargers, is still limited in the United States. The speed of implementation could push down prices for EVs, or it could cause bottlenecks and higher prices. READ MORE

Excerpt from Jalopnik: It’s hot as hell here. There’s currently a high-pressure heat dome over the entire state. Temps in my city are going to range from 103 to 109 degrees Fahrenheit for the next seven days. With people trying to stay cool and air conditioners in overdrive, it’s taxing the grid.

What’s worse is that the Golden State is the number one state for EVs. People need to get around, so they’re charging their vehicles — and plenty of people are getting ready for Labor Day road trips. The problem is that the state wants people to not charge as much right now. So the American Public Power Association and state energy regulators are asking people to turn up the temperature of their air conditioners and to turn down how much they’re charging their EVs.

“The top three conservation actions are to set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, avoid using large appliances and charging electric vehicles, and turn off unnecessary lights” the association said. They’re asking EV owners to only charge between 4 pm and 9 pm.

If thousands of EVs charging at the same time people are running their A/C or washing clothes can be too much for the grid to handle is a problem, you would think officials are doing what they can to guarantee the grid is prepared to make an all-EV transition, right? Nope. And as a state resident, it’s annoying to see.

Despite all the lead-up to the ICE ban and inevitable EV transition, no one has done anything to address how weak the grid is here in California. Not to mention not everyone thinks the plan is viable, especially with equality and unaffordability concerns with EVs.

We literally have power outages if the wind blows too hard. Sure, there have been plans or investments made in clean energy generating initiatives. Wind farms, geothermal plants, etc. Everything is being done to deliver more power to the grid, but nothing to actually prepare the grid to handle that extra power and load from potentially millions of EVs.

What’s worse is that some of the state officials’ steps have contradicted themselves. Consider that in January 2022, Governor Newsom’s office, along with the Biden Administration, announced huge plans for the state’s clean energy sector. Among them was a Lithium valley to provide materials needed to manufacture EV batteries and electrical grids that “enable a 100-percent clean electric grid, and move the state’s homes and industries away from fossil fuels.”

But then just five months later, a report came out in the L.A. Times that a controversial plan state legislators were considering would do just the opposite: it would give the Department of Water Resources broad, desperate authority by giving the department the power to buy energy from anyone that supplies it, including diesel generators and four gas-fire energy plants that were supposed to have been shuttered two years ago.

The Governor and other state officials are also backing a plan that would set aside a fund of $5 billion to maintain the current grid rather than investing in making it better. Even worse, details of the plan include relying on fossil fuel-powered generators to shore up the grid.

It all comes down to this. While an EV transition and clean energy are needed to save the planet from global warming, officials need to take a step back and consider why they’re in such a hurry with pressing ahead with the EV transition while not properly investing in making a better power grid. As summers get hotter and more and more people to buy EVs, we’re going to be facing a lot of rolling blackouts thanks to an unprepared grid. READ MORE

Excerpt from Star Tribune: "We are not California. Minnesota has its own plan, and it's been endorsed by Consumer Reports as a smart way to increase, rather than decrease, options for consumers," (Governor Tim) Walz told the Star Tribune in a statement.

"In Minnesota we know we need to take a multi-pronged approach, which is why I've long supported biofuels. Our priority is to lower costs and increase choices so Minnesotans can drive whatever vehicle suits them."

In 2021, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency finalized new rules implementing a "clean cars" program, mandating car dealers carry more electric vehicles and zero-emissions vehicles on sales lots. Those rules have been challenged in court by the state's auto dealers. READ MORE

Excerpt from Los Angeles Times: Despite California’s green reputation, it remains the seventh-highest oil producing state in the nation, extracting about 358,000 barrels per day, according to state data.

However, oil production has been declining for decades, and the California Geologic Energy Management Division, or CalGEM, reported that “more permits have been issued to plug and permanently seal existing wells than to drill new ones since 2019.” The agency issued 564 new well permits in 2021, down from 1,917 in 2020 and 2,665 in 2019.

Some experts said that’s not aggressive enough.

“This transition can’t happen too slowly, because there is a climate crisis, and there are significant public health impacts on frontline communities,” said Bahram Fazeli, director of research and policy at Communities for a Better Environment.

Although there are ambitions to phase out California’s oil and gas production completely — most recently, Gov. Gavin Newsom set his sights on 2045 — there has yet to be an official deadline such as the one for the gas car ban.

...

In Kern County, one of the state’s top producing regions, oil and gas extraction provide as much as 20% of the area’s property tax revenue.

...

Another part of the problem is that recharging the batteries of electric cars and trucks could also lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions, depending on where that energy is coming from.

“If you’re talking about California trying to move its emissions from gasoline cars into EVs, you’re talking about probably doubling the amount of electricity demand on the grid,” said (Kyle) Meng, of UC Santa Barbara. “Where’s that going to come from? You could imagine large utility-scale solar in places like Kern County, but with the laws as they’re written now, it’s very hard for Kern County to get property tax benefits from a solar farm than it could from oil drilling.” READ MORE

Excerpt from Associated Press: Virginia Senate Democrats on Tuesday defeated several Republican efforts to repeal a so-called “clean cars” law that aims to reduce carbon pollution through the adoption of California’s stringent rules for vehicle emissions.

The committee vote marked a critical juncture in the GOP repeal effort — one of this session’s highest-profile environmental debates. While there are still similar measures expected to advance through the Republican-controlled House, they would eventually land before the same Senate committee for a vote.

...

Republicans sought unsuccessfully last year to repeal the 2021 law, and Youngkin pledged to try again after California in August set itself on a path to require all new cars, pickup trucks and SUVs be electric or hydrogen by 2035. Under California’s standards, drivers can keep their existing gas-powered cars or buy used ones.

...

Opponents of following California say its goals are unattainable and that the electric vehicles that will be required — and their batteries — are too expensive for many families. Speakers on Tuesday also raised concerns about whether the power grid would be able to handle the additional demand.

Some Republican senators asked their colleagues to consider at least delaying implementation of the standards.

...

The mechanism for reaching the mandated vehicle sales threshold — which would start at roughly 8% in 2024 and then increase each year — involves adopting California’s vehicle emissions standards. California has had the authority to set its own rules for decades under a waiver from the federal Clean Air Act.

The program applies to manufacturers, not car dealers. Manufacturers who aren’t in compliance can buy credits from others who have surpassed the target.

Advocates of the change argued that some automakers prioritize sending their electric vehicles, or EVs, to states that use California’s standards. They said that has meant supply in Virginia isn’t meeting demand, especially outside of the Washington suburbs. READ MORE