Governor Gavin Newsome | Facebook Website
Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have announced that California will file a lawsuit in response to the U.S. Senate's recent vote targeting the state's clean vehicles program. The Republican-controlled Senate is attempting to use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to revoke California’s Clean Air Act waivers, which authorize the state’s clean cars and trucks program.
Governor Newsom criticized the move, stating, "This Senate vote is illegal. Republicans went around their own parliamentarian to defy decades of precedent. We won’t stand by as Trump Republicans make America smoggy again — undoing work that goes back to the days of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan — all while ceding our economic future to China. We’re going to fight this unconstitutional attack on California in court."
The state’s efforts in air quality improvement began under then-Governor Ronald Reagan with the establishment of the California Air Resources Board. The Clean Air Act waivers, dating back to the Nixon Administration, allow California to set necessary standards for reducing air pollution.
Attorney General Rob Bonta commented on the situation: “With these votes, Senate Republicans are bending the knee to President Trump once again. The weaponization of the Congressional Review Act to attack California’s waivers is just another part of the continuous, partisan campaign against California’s efforts to protect the public and the planet from harmful pollution. As we have said before, this reckless misuse of the Congressional Review Act is unlawful, and California will not stand idly by."
California has received over 100 waivers from the U.S. EPA since 1970 for its clean air initiatives. Despite significant improvements in air quality due to these standards, five of ten cities with severe air pollution are located in California.
If successful, this rollback could result in an estimated $45 billion increase in healthcare costs for Californians due to worsened air quality conditions.
Additionally, zero-emission vehicles are noted as being more cost-effective than gasoline-powered cars due to lower fuel and maintenance costs. These regulations would provide $91 billion in net relief and economic benefits between next year and 2040.
The U.S., despite pioneering clean car technologies, risks losing its dominance in this sector as China leads global electric vehicle production.
Since 2000, greenhouse gas emissions in California have decreased by 20%, while its GDP has grown by 78%. Under Governor Newsom's administration, battery storage capacity has increased significantly.
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