For decades, California has been able to adopt its own emissions regulations, effectively setting the bar for carmakers nationally. And for just as long, Republicans have resented the state’s outsize influence.
In 50 years, California’s authority to set environmental rules that are tougher than national standards had never been challenged by Congress. Until now.
The administration is setting the stage for Congress to repeal a longstanding waiver that allows California to set its own pollution standards. State officials say the effort is illegal.
The state will no longer require some truckers to shift away from diesel semis but hopes that subsidies can keep dreams of pollution-free big rigs alive.
State regulators said the measures would probably have been rejected by the Trump administration and that they would focus on homegrown legal strategies instead.
An innovative E.V. ride-sharing program is bringing low-cost clean transportation to an agricultural town in California’s Central Valley. Others are following suit.
The state is setting strict limits to try to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from transportation, the sector of the American economy that generates the most greenhouse gases.
Enforcement could be complex and legal challenges are likely. But ultimately, experts say, success or failure will depend on steady supply and buyers’ appetite.
The move to phase out gasoline-powered cars, with other states expected to follow, matches automakers’ plans. The challenge will be making it happen.
The decision, to take effect by 2035, will very likely speed a wider transition to electric vehicles because many other states follow California’s standards.
