News Summary

The U.S. Senate voted 51-44 to overturn California’s law banning the sale of petrol-only cars by 2035, sparking a legal response from the state. Critics argue that this decision undermines environmental regulations aimed at combating climate change and pollution. The anticipated signing by President Trump could lead to significant ramifications for both state and federal environmental policies, affecting car market standards across the country.

California—The U.S. Senate has voted to revoke California’s law banning the sale of petrol-only cars by 2035, a decision that could have significant ramifications for environmental regulations across the country. The Senate passed the resolution with a vote of 51-44, nullifying a waiver that previously allowed California to enforce stricter auto emissions standards than those set by the federal government.

This legislative move has been hailed as a victory for Republicans, energy firms, and automotive manufacturers, while many Democrats and environmental organizations view it as a major setback in the battle against climate change and pollution. Critics argue that California’s proposed regulations were essential for promoting cleaner air and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

President Donald Trump is anticipated to sign this measure into law, which would likely lead to a series of legal challenges from the state of California. Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced plans to sue over the Senate’s vote, claiming it amounts to federal overreach and poses a threat to the lives and livelihoods of California residents.

Trump has previously criticized California’s intent to phase out gas-powered vehicles, noting that it could severely impact the broader U.S. automobile industry, given California’s substantial market share. Approximately a dozen states, including New York and Massachusetts, had planned to follow California’s regulations, which collectively represent more than one-third of the U.S. car market.

While electric vehicles (EVs), including hybrids, accounted for around 10% of new car sales in the U.S., this figure pales in comparison to other countries, such as the UK, where EV sales made up 30% of the market. The UK government is set to phase out sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.

Critics of California’s standards argued that the targets set for electric vehicles—requiring 35% of new sales to be electric by 2026—were overly ambitious. Automakers expressed concerns that a related credit scheme would force them to purchase credits from Tesla, which could limit their ability to invest in developing their own electric vehicles.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has contended that halting California’s stricter regulations would undermine public health, driver cost savings, and efforts to combat climate change. California has historically received waivers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement tougher environmental standards due to the state’s ongoing air quality challenges.

This recent legislative action follows former President Trump’s earlier initiatives to diminish California’s regulatory authority, leading to a protracted legal dispute that concluded with the election of President Joe Biden. The Congressional Review Act was controversially employed to repeal California’s law, despite warnings regarding the legality of this approach from both the Government Accountability Office and the Senate parliamentarian.

The passage of this resolution is viewed as a “nuclear option” by Democratic leaders, raising concerns about future congressional methods for addressing agency rules. Environmental experts believe that halting California’s auto emissions standards could prevent the elimination of an estimated 70,000 tons of smog-forming emissions and 4,500 tons of soot by the year 2040.

This strike against California’s regulatory power marks a significant shift, challenging the state’s long-standing authority to set its vehicle emissions standards, a practice sustained for nearly five decades. Over the years, California has enacted numerous regulations aimed at substantially reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions due to unique environmental conditions.

The Senate’s recent decision could set precedents that may influence congressional procedures and the legislative landscape concerning environmental laws in the future. As this battle unfolds, the implications of this vote may ripple through state and federal environmental policy for years to come.