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California Can Continue Setting Its Own Emissions Regulations

The Biden administration has reversed a Trump-era rule that barred California from setting its own emissions regulations beyond the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards set by the federal government.

Per a recent report from Reuters, the Department of Transportation finalized the rule reversal earlier this week.

“States can now actively pursue solutions to address the climate crisis and environmental challenges in their communities,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg following announcement of the rule reversal.

California is the most populous state in the U.S., and accounts for roughly 12 percent of the U.S. auto market. Back in September of 2019, General Motors was one of several major automakers in backing President Trump in a lawsuit brought against the administration over the state’s right to set its own fuel economy and emissions regulations. The lawsuit claimed that the federal government did not have the right to revoke a waiver that allows California to set its own emissions and fuel economy standards.

The Trump administration previously attempted to rollback Obama-era fuel economy standards requiring a fleet-wide fuel economy average of 36 mpg by 2025, instead opting to freeze the standard at 30 mpg.

Following the election of of Joe Biden, General Motors withdrew its support for the Trump administration in the legal fight to overturn the California emissions standards. In total, 14 states have opted to follow California’s more-stringent emissions regulations.

The EPA has also finalized new rules that reverse the Trump-era rollbacks. It’s expected that the new EPA rules will reduce gasoline consumption by 15 percent through 2050, or an estimated 440 million barrels. The rules stipulate an average fuel economy of 40 mpg by 2026.

The Biden administration has pushed for widespread adoption of electric vehicles, setting a target of 50 percent of all new vehicles sold in 2030 as propelled by either all-electric or plug-in hybrid powertrains. General Motors has also stated that it will launch 30 new EV models globally by 2025.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Unless they’re into EV’s, California car enthusiasts who voted for Biden will soon have buyers remorse.

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  2. I live in California and am a huge car guy. All I can say is, I sure miss Trump.

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    1. You “miss” a traitor? Seriously?

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      1. John, stop watching CNN.

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      2. No dummy, he said he misses Trump….not Hillary ! Can’t you read ?

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      3. Did something happen with Brandon? Will we go back to being energy independent and having our freedoms that have been taken this past year? No more mass firings and utilization of the remaining materials to finish the wall on the southern border………..will Hunter have to take returns on artwork from the Chinese?

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  3. I bet this will be reversed again in a couple years.

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    1. I agree

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  4. What’s with the “thumbs up/down” removal?, to many “participation trophy” winners?, urban cowboys?. Let the people see the agreement/disagreeing here, it’s boring…

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  5. Made no sense for Trump to reverse it. California wants their air to be cleaner than the average, why not let them? People don’t understand what “Fleet wide 40mpg” means. That’s the average for the offerings from a certain brand. Like if dodge came out with a couple EV’s that would offset the average enough to still sell a few hemi options.
    This is manufactured outrage. How DARE California want cleaner air for their citizens?!

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    1. Hey dumass & clueless, you clearly have no concept of the economics of Auto Manufacturing do you ? How dare you presume to tryannically dictate to the rest of the population of the United States what kind of vehicle they are forced to contend with to satisfy your demands. You’re the classic example of thinking YOUR rights and lefty-agenda supersedes everyone else’s rights like the obvious leftard dimwit that you just showed yourself to be. It made plenty of sense for “Trump to reverse it” but since you have no clue about much of anything and what consequences might be….it figures.

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      1. Dude are you insane? We all breathe the air, left or right. When california is on fire for 3 months a year, I think they have the right to say what NEW cars people can buy.

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  6. In other words….the morons that have run California into the despicable State it is today will now Dictate to everyone else in these United States what kind of car/truck you drive ! Another classic F-Up by Bidumb and that demented moron just can’t figure out why his “approval” ratings are downstream of the toilet and in the Septic Tank. Congratulations Bidumb, yet another of your counterintuitive moves because the leftard Democraps can always count on Californication’s electoral votes.

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    1. Really well thought out critique, very clever nicknames too. Did you come up with Bidumb by yourself or did you ask a 3 year old to help?

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  7. billj598, is the standard Trump man. Look at the GDP, which is the Best measure of economic growth. Under Trump, the only reached 3.25%, once in 16 quarters. Clinton & Bush had 4% to 5.24% in 17 straight quarters! Trump ended with the Lowest GDP of any President, since Hoover. And he Ballooned the National Debt by $7 Trillion. Our Trade deficit Soared due to his Tariffs. Just last month, in the first 45 months in office, Biden’s Approval rating is Higher than the same Trump’s first 45 months in Office! Twice, Trump lost the Popular vote. He only won the Electoral vote. I could go on, but I’d just be wasting my time.

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    1. Rodney, I hate to break it to you but the popular vote means d!ck. You should read the constitution, you know the piece of paper the Biden Regime p!$$e$ on every day. I’m not too sure where you get your info, but the economy was awesome under Trump and gas didn’t cost $5.00 plus a gallon. Right now we have the worst inflation since the early 90’s and only a little over 60% participating in the work force. Ya things are going so swimmingly well.

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      1. This forum is f-ing scary. You are all so blinded by your political affiliations that you genuinely think that the gas price is based soley on who’s president. Your employment numbers aren’t even close to accurate I just don’t understand how you think people here, on an internet forum, don’t know how to look up the real numbers lmao. Y’all are pathetic. Popular vote doesn’t decide who the president is, that we agree on. But it is a VERY telling metric. The majority of the American people rejected Trump. And what happened on January 6th was f-ing disgusting, and I don’t understand how anyone could still support someone who lies about an election they lost fair and square. The man called it a fraud before the results came in. Modern day R’s “If we win it’s legit, if we lose its fraud” No guys, people don’t like your policies. The world is changing, your out of date views have no place in a modern world. Go away.

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        1. Tomasso, News flash, the story we are commenting on is political. Popular vote is useless, other wise California, Texas, Florida and New York would decide the election every 4 years. I don’t think that’s what the fore fathers had in mind. The presidential candidates would only campaign in those four states and to the hell with the other 46. Also here is an interesting poll I saw. If more people saw the Hunter Biden story, they would have voted for Trump and it would have swayed the election. But the left censored the story cause they new it would bury their puppet. If the playing field was level, we wouldn’t be having this conversation cause Trump would still be president.

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      2. Thanks for giving underinfomed RODNEY his badly needed Schooling he should have received if, when and where he attended some school, somewhere, that allowed a student who flunked Social Studies or Civics to be promoted. His lies, fabrications and astounding lack of knowledge are typical of one of the legions of leftards that were awarded “participation” trophies. His ridiculous, asinine comment about Presidential approval ratings and the National Debt show he is a dimwit and a waste of time.

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        1. Unfortunately he isn’t the only one. Most Democrats feel the same way about the electoral college and want to abolish it. Scary

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          1. Yeah, they also want to “pack” SCOTUS because they hate our Constitution.

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  8. Nice try but you’re not going to get away with it. You, like all half-truth, leftard spin-doctors are factoring in the GDP after the China-Virus got turned loose in 2020 and that is a totally false set of numbers. The GDP rose consistently under Trump until 2020 but your SPIN attempts and outright lies will never admit it because you, like so many others, have been indoctrinated by the Corporate Media Propaganda Machine and are obviously infected with TDS. Oh, and by the way dimwit, how much has your cult-hero Bidumb “ballooned” the National Debt. ? You’re too underinformed to even know it’s the House that approves spending while POTUS only “proposes” and who, exactly, has been in control of the House since the last midterms ? Waiting for your answer……….. OMG ! Now you’re even LYING about Bidumb’s “approval rating ” and ignoring our Constitution about how Presidents are elected. You are totally worthless and irrelevant. How much are you being paid to troll since not many can be as big a liar and as stupid as you just showed yourself to be ?

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    1. The money was spent by the R’s last term my friend. You’re hilarious though, keep it up. See you at the next self indulgent rally.

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      1. Your in the wrong country pal and your outnumbered. How can you call yourself a man. Pathetic.

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        1. You’re literally incorrect. I’m not American # 1 and the I’m not outnumbered. I don’t expect someone who uses the wrong “your” to know how basic math works. But 81 million is higher than 74 million. Your own election told you that.

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      2. OMG ! Are you really that stupid and underinformed or just a pathological LIAR ? Yes, yes you truly are. Why not just shut-up before sticking your foot further into your mouth ? And I am definitely NOT “your friend”…I despise lying leftards like you.

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        1. You calling me a liar, and then bringing no facts is funny. Also your insults should go back to the playground where they belong. Pathetic that you can’t have a civil disagreement with someone..

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          1. You wouldn’t recognize or admit a “fact” if it but you on your azz. You richly deserve every insult I can get away with for your filthy lies. Civil disagreement is way over your head and another concept you have no clue about. It does not include trying to get away with the lies like you spew. Now go virtue signal somewhere else….and lie to them too.

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            1. Name one thing I’ve lied about.

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              1. ” the money was spent by the R’s in the last term” LIAR ! Either that or you are deaf, dumb and blind too.

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  9. What these progressive politicians don’t understand is the American people. We don’t care if they want to sell electric cars or if people want to take a vaccine and wear 2 masks by themselves outside. We have a real problem being TOLD what we can and can’t do or threatened. The US government didn’t grant me freedom I was born with it. If they want to change laws and create rules do it democratically with a vote. We have swung too far to the left and it’s going to swing back right hard.

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    1. Exactly, but don’t ever expect one of “them” to admit it. Their Democracy-destroying “agenda” is not served by admitting facts or the reality and consequences of their constantly ignoring Constitutional Laws.

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  10. With the new tough EPA rating, California will not need to add any harsher ruling. the national EPA standard will be enough.

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    1. You might be right but my understanding is that the ridiculous, overzealous Biden-EPA standard is about CAFE mileage and not tougher Emissions standards to solve California’s over-population problems and how the Geology of the Los Angeles basin contributes to increased pollution ?? I used to live in West. L.A. back during the days of Smudge Pots being ignited when the long-gone Citrus groves were going to suffer from Frost and it was horrible way back then. I had to return to bury relatives in the late ’60’s and the air from auto-exhaust pollution actually burned your eyes and throat. They have a definite problem in that funnel-shaped basin but should NOT be forcing everyone else in the U.S. to solve it and neither should the Feds.

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  11. A sense of balance in this argument has been completely lost. The sad thing is that the envy of the world, American democracy, is on the brink – those who lost refuse to accept reality and the rule of law.

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    1. Wowser not only are you Lying and doing the leftard Projecting again but you got it completely Bass-Ackwards…..how typical !

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  12. Well said.

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  13. Sanity rules now!

    Reply

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