For over 50 years, California has had the capacity to institute more stringent vehicular emission regulations than those set forth by the federal government. But in recent years, the state has gone too far, and it is time to rethink the permission slip they claim to still need. Two bills, one in each chamber of Congress, have been introduced to end this power grab by eliminating the waiver exemption.
When Congress passed the Clean Air Act (CAA) in 1970 it allowed California, through its California Air Resources Board (CARB), to apply for waivers that set emission standards higher than the national level. Due to excessive smog surrounding some of its major cities, the Golden State wanted authorization to supersede federal laws when necessary. The only state granted such clout, other states can adopt the same standards if and only if California obtains waivers from the federal government first.
California currently has 100 active waivers. Several recent waivers have sought to regulate types of locomotives and heavy-duty trucks operating within their borders as well as the type of refrigerant used in commercial transport. The most controversial, however, mandates all light- and medium-duty vehicle sales be zero-emission by 2035.
Sponsoring the bill on the Senate side, Mike Lee (R-UT) stated, Governor Newsom “is using the waiver privilege to push a radical environmental agenda on the nation.”
The catastrophic effects will be felt nationwide. California plus the seventeen other states (thus far) adopting some or all of these provisions account for roughly 40 percent of all new light-duty vehicle registrations. Private companies will have no choice but to alter their business plans to comply with CARB standards or risk losing their ability to conduct business in those states.
Read the full article on Townhall.
Kristen Walker is a policy analyst for the American Consumer Institute, a nonprofit education and research organization. For more information about the Institute, follow us on X @ConsumerPal.