Court upholds California’s authority to set nation-leading vehicle emission rules

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California can continue to set its own nation-leading vehicle emissions standards, a federal court ruled Tuesday — two years after the Biden administration restored the state’s authority to do so as part of its efforts to reverse Trump-era environmental rollbacks.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit blocked an attempt by Ohio, Alabama, Texas and other Republican-led states to revoke California’s authority to set standards that are stricter than rules set by the federal government. The court ruled that the states failed to prove how California’s emissions standards would drive up costs for gas-powered vehicles in their states.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who often touts the state’s leadership on climate policy, said the court ruling reaffirmed California’s ability to fight the public health and environmental impacts of vehicle emissions.

“The clean vehicle transition is already here – it’s where the industry is going, the major automakers support our standards, and California is hitting our goals years ahead of schedule,” he said in a statement. “We won’t stop fighting to protect our communities from pollution and the climate crisis.”

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