California Sues Trump Administration over Revoking Authority to Limit Car Pollution
by Dino Grandoni and Juliet Eilperin (Washington Post) 22 other states, plus D.C., Los Angeles and New York City, joined in the lawsuit — California and 22 other states filed a lawsuit in federal court Friday against the Trump administration, challenging its decision to revoke the most-populous state’s right to set pollution limits on cars and light trucks.
The legal battle’s outcome will affect which vehicles Americans drive in the years to come, as well as the country’s effort to tackle climate change and the balance between federal and state power.
The lawsuit is the latest salvo in the escalating legal and political fight between President Trump and California, which has created uncertainty and divisions in the auto industry. Both domestic and foreign automakers are grappling with which standards to follow as they prepare to manufacture vehicles for U.S. consumers over the next decade.
On Thursday, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Transportation Department formally revoked the waiver allowing California to set stricter limits on tailpipe emissions than the federal government, as part of a broader effort to scale back federal rules requiring U.S. auto fleets to average nearly 51 miles per gallon by model year 2025. Trump officials have drafted a plan to freeze federal mileage standards at roughly 37 miles per gallon though model year 2026.
…
A total of 13 states and the District have pledged to adopt California’s tailpipe emissions standards if they are stricter than those of the federal government. Collectively, the group represents roughly 30 percent of the nation’s auto market.
In July, four carmakers — Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and BMW of North America — struck a deal with California to produce cars and light trucks through model year 2026 that would reach a fleetwide mileage average of nearly 50 miles per gallon by 2026. The Justice Department is investigating whether the agreement violated federal antitrust law.
…
In a statement, EPA spokeswoman Corry Schiermeyer said that the waivers are only given so that California can tackle “local pollution.”
…
In both cases, Green Mountain Chrysler Plymouth Dodge Jeep v. Crombie and Central Valley Chrysler-Jeep Inc. v. Goldstene, judges ruled that state limits on carbon dioxide emissions from cars and light trucks did not violate existing federal law.
…
The EPA and DOT plan to finalize the revised rule by the end of the year. READ MORE includes AUDIO
California wants its own strict air pollution standards. Trump has other ideas. (Washington Post Podcast)
The Interaction of the Clean Air Act, California’s CAA Waiver, Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards, Renewable Fuel Standards and California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (Advanced Biofuels USA)
