EPA Allows California To Set Own Emission Rules - How Long Until You Are FORCED To Buy An EV?

California is the world's fifth-largest economy by GDP, and its car market carries the weight that comes with that economic power. For years, the state had set its own emissions standards, but a decision by the Trump administration sought to force California's adoption of looser federal regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency confirmed on Wednesday that it's reversing that, allowing California to resume setting its own stricter emissions laws.

The state has had a Clean Air Act waiver since the inception of the act in 1970, which gave lawmakers in California the ability to set stricter emissions standards, and later, electric vehicle sales targets. In 2019 under the Trump administration, the waiver was rescinded by the EPA, citing a desire for national consistency. California and 23 other states sued in favor of keeping the waiver, and a large group of automakers—including GM and Toyota, representing two of the three largest automakers by sales in the US—intervened on behalf of the administration. The waiver and the ensuing suit had far larger implications than just California, however, as 17 states plus the District of Columbia use California's stricter emissions laws, rather than the less stringent federal guidelines.

Read Article