Input Stories

Input Stories

California Withdraws Emissions, Other Waiver Requests

California has withdrawn its request that the Biden administration allow it to tighten pollution limits on vehicles beyond federal emissions standards (The New York Times, subscription). 
 
What’s going on: “Under the 1970 Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency has for decades granted waivers to California, which has historically struggled with smog, to enact tougher pollution limits than those set by the federal government. Federal law also allows other states, under certain circumstances, to adopt California’s standards as their own. … California officials have also used waivers to curb carbon dioxide.” 

  • In December, the Biden administration granted the Golden State a waiver to enact a ban on the sale of new gas-powered vehicles after 2035, a move President Trump has said he will revoke.
  • A key request that has now been withdrawn: one made to the EPA more than a year ago to crack down on “additional sources of pollution, including a requirement that commercial truck fleets begin a transition to all-electric or other zero-emission vehicles, starting in 2024.”   

Additional withdrawn requests: Other now-withdrawn requests include requirements that: 

  • Refrigerated truck and trailers operators start transitioning to all-electric or zero-emissions fleets in 2024 and get to 100% zero emissions by 2030; 
  • Short-run ferry operators use zero-emissions vessels by the end of 2025; and 
  • Railroad operators begin transitioning to all-electric or zero-emissions locomotives in 2030, getting to 100% zero-emissions by 2053.  

A win for manufacturers: The withdrawal of some of California’s strictest emissions waiver requests is a victory for manufacturers, for whom the overreaching and overlapping rules would have been costly and confusing as well as inimical to U.S. manufacturing competitiveness.   

  • The NAM was instrumental in the withdrawals, having long advocated against what it has called California’s “auto regulation mess.” 

Our view: “The many emissions-related rules California was seeking to impose were unrealistic and unachievable and would have contributed to inflation and snarled supply chains,” said NAM Managing Vice President of Policy Chris Netram. 

  • “Manufacturers are breathing a collective sigh of relief at news of the withdrawals, and they call on President Trump to instead adopt clear, feasible and fair emissions standards. We look forward to working with the president and his administration on this important issue.”  
View More