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Under the Clean Air Act of 1970, the EPA granted California a waiver to set stricter exhaust pipe standards than federal limits to combat smoke problems.
As the most populous state and the fifth largest economy in the world, California has managed to impress automakers and set the pace for the rest of the country. Seventeen other states and the District of Columbia adopted California rules, turning them into de facto national standards. Twelve other states enforce California’s mandate to sell only zero-emission vehicles after 2035.
In 2009, President Barack Obama established federal emissions standards based on the California rule. Last year, the Biden administration began the legal process to restore the California exemption, which is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.
“This is a historic role that California has played since 1970, a role that was only interrupted during the Trump administration,” said Richard Revesz, professor of environmental law at New York University. “This is an extremely important policy, but it’s also a return to the traditional way of understanding the relationship between the federal government and California regarding vehicle pollution. It’s a return to normalcy moment.”
Mr Trump’s allies see the situation differently, saying that no single state should be allowed to set national standards.
“We think what California is doing is beyond the scope of law, and we shouldn’t enact federal law based on what California has decided to impose on its citizens,” said Thomas Pyle, president of the Energy Research Institute. An organization that supports the use of fossil fuels.
Meanwhile, the EPA is drafting more stringent regulations regulating emissions from heavy-duty trucks to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions linked to lung cancer, heart disease and premature death. The California truck rule, which went into effect late last year, requires manufacturers to produce increasingly cleaner trucks between 2024 and 2031.
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