Federal Strike on California's EV Rules Threatens State-Level Climate Ambitions

Environmental and regulatory attorney Zach Pilchen was cited in an article published by the Financial Times' Sustainable Views about congressional efforts to revoke a set of Clean Air Act waivers issued to California. These U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-issued waivers allowed California to enforce certain vehicle emissions standards that are stricter than the federal standards. One of the California regulations targeted by Congress is the Advanced Clean Cars II rule, which would require all new passenger vehicles sold in California to be zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) by 2035. The congressional measures are expected to be signed by President Donald Trump and represent the latest move in a clash between federal and state governments over climate actions. Mr. Pilchen said that California and similarly minded states will likely respond by increasing efforts to indirectly target vehicle emissions, such as by regulating traffic-heavy facilities like warehouses and ports. He added that states may also expand state-level incentive programs for zero-emission vehicles.

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