Senate OKs Measures to Block State Vehicle Pollution Rules
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate passed Congressional Review Act (CRA) measures intended to block California’s latest tailpipe emissions standards for new cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks.
More than five decades ago, Congress set into law California’s authority to curb the vehicle pollution that is worsening its already poor air quality, subject to a waiver from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Clean Air Act also allows other states to choose to adopt California’s standards.
Since 1967, the EPA has granted California more than 75 waivers. Before today, Congress had never passed a measure to overturn an EPA waiver decision.
This vote also severely undermines Senate norms, as the Senate Parliamentarian and the Government Accountability Office had both held that these waivers could not be revoked by a fast-tracked CRA vote. Senate Republicans defied those rulings, creating a new path for evading the Senate filibuster in the process.
The following is a comment from Manish Bapna, president of NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):
“This vote is an unprecedented and reckless attack on states’ legal authority to address the pollution causing asthma, lung disease, and heart conditions. After a multimillion-dollar lobbying campaign from Big Oil, Republicans readily jettisoned their long-held view that states can best enact measures that reflect the values and interests of their residents.
“Halting these standards makes no sense: They reduce costs for drivers, boost domestic manufacturing, improve air quality, and help address the climate crisis.
“If other states don’t like California’s approach, they don’t need to follow it—but federal lawmakers shouldn’t be intervening to block states from providing cleaner air and a healthier environment.”
Background:
Recognizing the state’s unique air-quality challenges, Congress specifically gave California the authority to set stronger tailpipe emissions standards when it passed the Clean Air Act more than five decades ago. Congress also gave other states the right to adopt California standards.
Blocking the Advanced Clean Cars II measure would have grave consequences for consumers, public health, and the economy. It would:
- Cost consumers more than $73 billion in additional fuel costs through 2040—and more than $50 billion in net costs for owning and operating a vehicle
- Allow the emissions of 1.5 million metric tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides, 17,700 metric tons of fine particles, and more than 1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide
- Put at risk $240 billion in private investment across 500 facilities that produce electric vehicle technologies and batteries, undermining efforts to make the U.S. competitive in the global electric vehicle market of the future
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).