President Biden restores California’s power to set car emissions rules
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is restoring California’s authority to set its own tailpipe pollution standards for cars, reversing a Trump administration policy and likely ushering in stricter emissions standards for new passenger vehicles nationwide.
A waiver approved Wednesday by the Environmental Protection Agency allows California to set tough emissions rules for cars and SUVs and impose mandates for so-called zero-emission vehicles that do not contribute to global warming.
At least 15 states and the District of Columbia have signed on to California’s vehicle standards, which are stricter than federal rules and designed to address the state’s severe air pollution problems. According to the American Lung Association, seven of the 10 U.S. cities with worst ozone pollution are in California, along with six of the 10 most polluted cities measured by year-round particle pollution.
Former President Donald Trump’s 2019 decision to revoke California’s authority to set its own limits on auto emissions was one of his most high-profile actions to roll back environmental rules he considered overly burdensome on businesses. Regulation of vehicle emissions is central to combating climate change.
President Joe Biden has made slowing climate change a top priority of his administration and has
pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. Transportation is the single largest source of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, making up 29% of all emissions. Within the transportation sector, passenger cars and trucks are the largest contributor, accounting for 58% of all transportation-related emissions and 17% of overall U.S. carbon emissions.
“Today we proudly reaffirm California’s longstanding authority to lead in addressing pollution from cars and trucks,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “With today’s action, we reinstate an approach that for years has helped advance clean technologies and cut air pollution for people not
just in California, but for the U.S. as a whole.”
The waiver reinstates California’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the federal Clean Air Act for model years 2017 through 2025, effective immediately. The California Air Resources Board will determine how to implement and enforce the standards.
The waiver also withdraws a Trump-era regulation that blocked other states from adopting California’s standards. Collectively they represent 36% of the U.S. auto market.
Officials in California, New York and other states have been seeking reinstatement of the waiver, saying California’s strict standards have improved air quality in
the state and ensured that Los Angeles and other cities are no longer shrouded by smog.
California Gov. Gavin Newson thanked the Biden administration “for righting the reckless wrongs of the Trump administration and recognizing our decades-old authority to protect Californians and our planet.’’
The EPA’s action “is a major victory for the environment, our economy and the health of families across the country” and comes at a pivotal moment to address climate change, said Newsom, a Democrat. “California looks forward to partnering with the Biden administration to make a zero-emission future a reality for all Americans.”