California Environmental Policy in Focus: EPA Support for Emission-Free Cars from 2035 Uncertain

The discussion surrounding California's ambitious environmental protection plans continues to gain momentum. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that it has not yet made a decision on whether to approve California's groundbreaking initiative to phase out the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035. A senior representative of the California Air Resources Board expressed to Reuters in October the expectation that the EPA would grant a waiver under the Clean Air Act to enable the implementation of the plan. Consequently, at least 80% of new vehicles are expected to be electric, and up to 20% as plug-in hybrid models by 2035. Eleven other states, including New York, Massachusetts, and Oregon, have already adopted California’s regulations. Currently, seven additional waiver requests are pending in California. According to an EPA spokesperson, the applications are being carefully reviewed to ensure that decisions are made soundly and sustainably. No timeline was provided. Interestingly, during his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to revoke already granted EPA exemptions supporting California's environmental regulations. California remains committed to the goal that 35% of vehicles be emission-free by the 2026 model year, increasing to 68% by 2030. These measures are crucial to achieving greenhouse gas reduction targets and minimizing pollutant emissions. Criticism comes from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group representing General Motors, Volkswagen, Toyota, and other automakers. They warned that the program could impact economic activities, increase costs, and limit vehicle options. Compliance with the regulations in the twelve states is challenging and requires a miracle. The group, therefore, advocated for a balanced approach and a possible withdrawal of individual states from the program. In a recent development, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a lawsuit from fuel producers against the vehicle emission exemptions regulation of 2022. Since 1967, California has received more than 75 such exemptions, consistently enforcing increasingly higher environmental requirements. In March 2022, the EPA reinstated a previous waiver allowing California to set its own emission standards and mandates for zero-emission vehicles until 2025, reversing a decision from the first Trump administration.