States are taking additional lawful measures to stop the Trump management from undoing stricter emissions rules in California. 22 other states, California, DC and the cities of Los Angeles and New York have taken legal action against the EPA and other organizations in an effort to ban the plan of regulator for revoking fractions of Clean Air Act waiver by California that allow it implement stricter zero-emission vehicle and greenhouse gas standards. The measure is a complement to a previous lawsuit aiming at the NHTSA that was planned at stopping a similar determination, and follows with a same argument defending powers of the states.
Xavier Becerra (Attorney General for California) highlighted out that California had got more than 100 waivers over the last 5 decades from the EPA. This was a sudden about-face from a federal management that had supposedly “selected to side with culprits.” Becerra also disputed that the waivers had been awarded both to mirror its leadership in emissions rules and a requirement to deal with the “compelling and extraordinary air pollution problems” impacting the state, such as smog in Los Angeles.
The EPA did not answer on the lawsuit, but claimed to the media that it was not challenging other authorities of California, such as its capability of enforcing a Low Emission Vehicle project.
This newest lawsuit is fraction of an elevating fight between major states and the Trump management over environmental laws, with auto manufacturers picking sides frequently. The Justice Department lately rolled out an antitrust probe into 4 makers that sided with tougher emissions rules by California. At the same time, although, California has barred government car buyouts from those manufacturers that sided with the attempt by Trump management to revoke waivers (comprising GM, Fiat Chrysler, and Toyota.