The New York Times, Reuters, and other news agencies reported on the 26th that the Republican Party is pushing for a plan in the federal Congress to repeal California’s 2035 zero-emission passenger vehicle sales mandate. California has decided to stop selling gasoline-only vehicles by 2035, and the Biden administration has approved the plan. The Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported the Biden administration’s measures to Congress.
The Republican Party is preparing to use the Congressional Review Act enacted in 1996 to repeal California’s eco-friendly car policy. The Congressional Review Act allows a majority vote to overturn new regulations. However, since California’s gasoline vehicle ban is not a federal regulation, legal controversy is expected when applying the Congressional Review Act.
The New York Times reported that California has the most serious air pollution problem in the United States, so it is exempted from the relevant law under the Clean Air Act enacted in 1970, allowing it to impose stronger regulations than other states. Previously, California mandated that the percentage of zero-emission vehicles among new cars be increased to 35% by 2026 and 68% by 2030, and that only 100% zero-emission vehicles be sold by 2025.
The Biden administration approved California’s policy in December of last year, at the end of its term. The Republican Party’s targeting of California’s electric vehicle policy is due to its judgment that the state’s economy is large and that it is influencing other states. Eleven states in the U.S. have followed California’s lead and decided to ban the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, which would account for half of the U.S. auto market, the New York Times reported.
President Donald Trump pledged during his last presidential campaign to scrap the Biden administration’s electric vehicle support policy and allow oil and gas drilling, and he has taken steps to do so since taking office.