House Pulls the Plug: California’s Gas Car Ban Gets Red Light from Congress

In a Thursday eleventh-hour move, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to block California from implementing its historic rule that would have banned the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035. The bill, which was approved 246 to 164, specifically challenges California's aggressive climate plan to accelerate the phaseout of gasoline-powered cars and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

 

The bill targets California's authority, under the Clean Air Act, to adopt more stringent emissions requirements than the federal government-a right the state has claimed for decades in an effort to combat air pollution. Eleven other states have joined California's proposed ban, making its potential effect on the national auto market all the greater.

 

The authors of the House proposal think that California's regulations, based on the size of the state's economy, essentially dictate national policy and could result in more expensive cars and reduced consumer choice. Big automakers have also complained, labeling the 2035 ban an unrealistic ask.

 

California officials and environmentalists, among others, denounced the vote as a states' rights and public health assault. Governor Gavin Newsom called the move "lawless" and vowed to defend California's clean air programs, as public health officials warned that stripping the state of its authority could boost pollution and health impacts.

 

The bill is now in the Senate, whose fate is uncertain. Legal scholars have pointed out that both the Government Accountability Office and the Senate parliamentarian have questioned whether Congress can stop California from implementing its policy in this way, leaving the door open for further political and legal skirmishes.

 

Source: The New York Times