The US Senate voted today to strip California of its authority to enact state limits on tailpipe pollution that are tougher than national standards.
Senate Republicans went forward with the vote today anyway, revoking waivers that allow California to pursue its climate goals and improve air quality by reducing emissions from cars and trucks.
Opponents say it’s an illegal move
“This is the easy way to do what the fossil fuel industry wants,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said on the Senate floor during deliberations that ended past 1:00AM ET. “They had this quick and dirty, sneaky maneuver that they could pull off so they didn’t have to negotiate, they didn’t have to legislate, and they didn’t have to use regulatory process.”
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted California waivers to set its own rules for car and truck emissions since the Clean Air Act was adopted in 1970. The standards the state sets for vehicle manufacturers can influence the entire industry because California is one of the biggest car markets in the world. Seventeen states and Washington, DC have also adopted all or part of California’s vehicle emission regulations.
“California has used its waiver authority to push its extreme climate policies on the rest of the country,” Sen. Shelley Capito (R-WV) said in closing remarks on the Senate floor last night.
Environmental advocates, meanwhile, argue that GOP lawmakers attacked the state’s rights. “If other states don’t like California’s approach, they don’t need to follow it – but federal lawmakers shouldn’t be intervening to block states from providing cleaner air and a healthier environment,” Manish Bapna, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council said in a press statement today.
Auto trade groups have opposed California’s plans to require more EV sales. “Disapproval of the rules is essential to ensuring a unified national vehicle marketplace that promotes continued progress on fuel economy while safeguarding economic growth and consumer interests,” Neil Bradley, executive vice president of the US Chamber of Commerce said in a letter to senators last week.
