President Trump’s Administration Asks Supreme Court to Halt California Vehicle Emissions Case
The Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to put on hold a case involving California’s vehicle emissions standards and electric cars, in a bid by fuel producers to challenge the state’s regulations under a federal air pollution law. This marks an early indication that the new administration will take a fresh look at several legal issues before the court, which may result in changes from Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden.
The case centers on an exception granted to California in 2022 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which allowed the state to set stricter vehicle emission standards than federal standards. Although states and municipalities are generally preempted from enacting their own limits, Congress allowed the EPA to waive the preemption rule to allow California to set certain regulations.
The Trump administration, now led by Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris, has asked the Supreme Court to pause the case, stating that the EPA’s acting administrator has determined that the agency should reassess the basis for and soundness of the 2022 reinstatement decision regarding California’s waiver.
The challengers, led by Valero’s Diamond Alternative Energy, argue that the decision exceeded the EPA’s power under the Clean Air Act and harmed their bottom line by decreasing demand for liquid fuels. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit threw out the lawsuits, finding that the challengers lacked the necessary legal standing to bring their claims.
The Trump administration’s request may be seen as a step towards reversing policies implemented by the Biden administration, as well as the court’s anti-regulatory stance. The Supreme Court has in the past taken a skeptical view of expansive authority for federal regulatory agencies and has restricted the powers of the EPA in certain areas.