California sues President Trump over clean air protections

The US state of California has decided to sue the Trump administration over clean air legislation. The state has escalated its fight against the Trump administration, which recently revoked some waivers California could use to set emissions limits.

The case specifically concerns the authority of a US state to set stricter rules to limit air pollution—a power granted to California under the Clean Air Act, which the state has exercised for decades. As reported by ESG News, California decided to take legal action in response to the federal government’s recent revocation of this authority.

Background

Since the 1970s, California has had special status under the Clean Air Act, allowing it to seek waivers from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) so it can set its own vehicle emissions standards in response to serious smog problems.

These waivers have allowed California to set relatively ambitious environmental targets, such as phasing out new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035 and introducing stricter nitrogen oxide (NOx) rules for heavy-duty trucks. These initiatives were expected to deliver $91 billion in benefits by 2040, primarily by supporting zero-emission vehicles.

The dispute

The Trump administration used the Congressional Review Act to revoke the waivers. California now argues that the waivers are not “federal rules” and therefore cannot be revoked under the act. The administration, in turn, argues that emissions standards must be uniform nationwide and claims that California’s rules improperly address global climate issues rather than local pollution.

What is at stake

The lawsuit could shift the balance of environmental authority between state governments and the federal government. California argues that its long-standing waiver system is lawful and necessary to protect public health. The Trump administration, by contrast, argues that uniform national standards reduce the regulatory burden on automakers and provide legal clarity.

Seventeen US states currently have emissions standards similar to California’s, and 14 of them have adopted the Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program. The outcome of the case could determine whether states retain the right to pursue more independent climate policies.