TPPF Submits Comments Opposing California’s Harmful Zero-Emission Vehicle Regulations

Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation submitted comments on behalf of Western States Trucking Association and Construction Industry Air Quality Coalition opposing California’s request for Federal approval of regulations that would force manufacturers of light- and medium- duty vehicles (i.e., most types of cars and trucks) to sell only electric vehicles in California by 2035. This would adversely impact car sales throughout the nation.

These sweeping, economically devastating edicts could cripple the American economy by forcing consumers to purchase electric vehicles — or else. The regulations do not address the need for charging infrastructure for electric vehicles or the environmental impacts vehicle charging, battery manufacturing, or battery disposal will wreak on California or the wider nation. And the California regulations are not required to meet any compelling or extraordinary conditions in the state.

EPA has stated that it will evaluate California’s radical request not based on the need for the regulations themselves, but based on whether California needs its own system of mobile source pollution regulation in general. “This approach runs counter to the text of the Clean Air Act, and allows the Federal government to launder unjustifiably strict environmental regulations into circulation by granting California’s waivers,” said Ted Hadzi-Antich, TPPF Senior Attorney. “The comments we filed today explain to EPA precisely how granting these California waiver applications would be arbitrary, capricious, contrary to the plain text of the Clean Air Act, and unsound as a matter of public policy,” said Hadzi-Antich.

“No government, federal or state, has the power to make Americans buy electric cars. We will fight against such overreach all the way to the Supreme Court, if need be, so that liberty prevails,” said CAF attorney Connor Mighell.

To read the public comment, click here.

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