US President Cancels California’s Environmental Regulations
The US President has signed three resolutions that halt California’s efforts to reduce vehicle emissions. These actions cancel the state’s plans for a full transition to electric vehicles by 2035 and also strip it of the right to set its own emission limits.
Furthermore, the President’s decision terminates federal support for California’s programs to phase out trucks and buses with internal combustion engines. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents the interests of major automakers, supported this move, calling the previous electric vehicle plans “unrealistic”.
“We have officially saved the US automotive industry from destruction by canceling the electric vehicle mandate once and for all,” the President stated at a White House briefing.
California Files a Lawsuit
In response to the federal government’s actions, California Governor Gavin Newsom and State Attorney General Rob Bonta have filed a lawsuit, calling the resolutions “illegal”. They stated that these decisions threaten the health of the state’s residents, where five of the ten most polluted cities in the US are located.
“He’s at it again – and this time he’s destroying our clean air and America’s competitiveness,” Newsom said. “We are filing a lawsuit to stop this latest illegal move by the President, which completely belongs to big polluters.”
California has had the right to set its own environmental standards since the Nixon administration. Over the past 50 years, these initiatives have helped save $250 billion in treating diseases related to air pollution. Attorney General Bonta called the repeal of the standards an “irresponsible move” that could have fatal consequences for people’s health.
This dispute between the federal government and California has been ongoing for several years and has now moved into the legal arena. The state’s position is supported by many environmental organizations, while automakers believe that strict standards could harm the industry. The further development of events could affect not only the transportation market but also the country’s overall environmental policy.