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U.S. Lawmakers Urging EPA To Reinstate California’s Right To Set Vehicle Emissions

Democratic U.S. lawmakers are pushing the Environmental Protection Agency to reinstate California’s ability to set its own, separate vehicle emissions standards.

California was granted a waiver in 2013 that allowed it to set its own vehicle emissions laws that differed from the rest of the states. The Trump administration revoked the waiver as it looked to implement less strict vehicle emissions standards nationwide, but the EPA said earlier this year that it was looking to reinstate the waiver.

Now, according to Reuters, 140 Democratic lawmakers are urging the EPA to take swift action and reinstate California’s waiver. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the EPA are currently reviewing the Trump-era decisions to revoke the waiver, which EPA director Michael Regan said was “legally dubious,” earlier this year.

“The waiver was unlawfully withdrawn under the Trump Administration and should be promptly reinstated,” said the letter, which was signed by numerous lawmakers.

“The mounting threats to health and welfare posed by climate change makes the authority of the states to lead more important than ever.”

The Trump-era fuel economy standards require automakers to enact 1.5 percent annual increases in vehicle efficiency through to 2026, much less than the Obama-era standard of five percent. General Motors previously backed the Trump vehicle emissions rollback and also backed President Trump’s decision to revoke the California waiver on the basis of having one, universal fuel economy standard for the entire country. The automaker then withdrew its support for the Trump-era emissions laws in November of last year, pledging to work with the Biden administration to put more all-electric vehicles on U.S. roads.

“We believe the ambitious electrification goals of the President-elect, California, and General Motors are aligned to address climate change by drastically reducing automobile emissions,” GM CEO Mary Barra said at the time. “We are confident that the Biden administration, California, and the U.S. auto industry, which supports 10.3 million jobs, can collaboratively find the pathway that will deliver an all-electric future.”

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Sam loves to write and has a passion for auto racing, karting and performance driving of all types.

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Comments

  1. What many have failed to understand is not only are the new vehicle emission under attack but California and like regulated states are attacking anyone who touches the programing of the stock computer.

    Even the EPA has raided shops in the east in PA with armed agents and charged them with conspiracy of tampering with the programing.

    Please read up on the RPM act to counter the self interpretation of EPA law by the most recent appointees to the EPA. Yes they have reinterpreted the laws to reflect their agenda not the laws that were passed years ago.

    They feel even if you use a car just for racing it can not be tampered with and you can be fined and jailed for tampering with a race only car.

    At this rate you will be in violation of Federal law based on what they are doing with even the smallest changes.

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    1. Nothing surprises me these days in the Police state that is the present day USA. Whats next? Raids to peoples home because they did not pay a tax to get their free speech permit.

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      1. I can’t believe that four idiot reps from Michigan supported this letter, spearheaded by Debbie “Dingbat” Dingil. Her husband- of whom she rode his coattails – was a bulldog in protecting the American car industry. Car companies do not want two sets of standards to meet customer needs- it is very expensive. The fact that these ingrate reps stabbed their hometown industry in the back is incomprehensible.

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      2. DemocRATS !

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    1. Thank you for the information. I have only heard about the RPM act. I did not realize how ridiculous things actually are.

      Reply
  3. One set of rules. Not 50

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  4. States’ rights!

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  5. The only thing that’s keeping the dummycrats at bay is the ’22 mid-terms. Keep your panties on for that one because if the Demos have their way you’ll be forced to wear actual panties…..😉

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  6. NO, NO WAY California ! You DO NOT tell the entire Country what to do and we are sick and tired of your tyranny. You are NOT “special” . Your State is a freaking disaster from the Top all the way to the bottom. Most of your Politicians at both Federal and State levels are total disasters and among the most hated, despised people in these United States.

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  7. I’ll keep my gasoline engine, thank you. We have the most clean country in this world. Electric vehicles will still need oil or coal to fire up the power plants. Solar power is nowhere near perfect. As of fact solar power creates a lot of waste and pollution in the long run. When the windmills wear out, guess what happens.

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  8. Politicians, stop forcing “sensible” stuff down my throat, cause you don’t know doodley squat..

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  9. I’m from Pa and We unfortunately are party to CARB – always thought this was nonsense and still do. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem what the average Joe says doesn’t matter as the bureaucracy thinks they know better then the average Joe- the thing is California can’t even govern themselves.

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  10. No state which allows Illegal Aliens to waltz into this country by the tens or hundreds of thousands and pollute as they do should be setting vehicle emissions precedence anywhere.

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  11. California is an example of what not to do. We cant have these idiots setting policy . Climate change is normal and not caused by my GMC truck . I received a recall notice because my cold intake performance system may be emitting more exhaust than the Crapafornia code allows. I will run it with open headers if i so choose

    Reply

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