New resolutions nullify California’s landmark rule to abolish the sale of new combustion engine cars in the next 10 years, sparking a fresh legal and political battle over environmental authority and the future of the auto industry.
The move reverses a Biden-era policy that had approved California’s right, under the federal Clean Air Act, to set stricter emissions standards than the federal government. Trump, calling the state’s plan a “disaster,” argued it would “effectively abolish the internal combustion engine, which most people prefer.”
The resolutions also revoke two additional California policies: a mandate for half of all new trucks sold in the state to be electric by 2035, and a regulation to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, a contributor to smog and respiratory illness.
At the White House event, attended by Republican lawmakers and fossil fuel executives, Trump signaled a broader protectionist turn by threatening to raise auto tariffs above the current 25%, citing the need to encourage domestic manufacturing.
California responded swiftly. Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order directing state agencies to find alternative ways to promote electric vehicles and reward automakers that commit to phasing out gasoline cars. State Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the resolutions, backed by ten other states.
“This is a completely improper use of the Congressional Review Act,” Bonta said, arguing that it applies to regulations—not to EPA waivers that have allowed California to lead on air quality for over 50 years.
With 40 million residents and enormous market influence, California’s clean car standards were set to shape nationwide manufacturing. Automakers face uncertainty as they weigh compliance in states aligned with California’s goals.
Republicans praised the reversal, calling California’s mandates unrealistic. But Newsom warned the move “destroys our clean air and America’s global competitiveness.”
As legal challenges mount, the clash highlights a central question: Who controls America’s climate policy—federal regulators or states on the frontlines of pollution and innovation?
Source: New York Times