Lee Bill Defends National Standards from California’s Overreach

WASHINGTON - Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced the Stop California from Advancing Regulatory Burden Act, or Stop CARB Act, to rein in California's outsized influence over national emissions standards. For decades, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has used federal waivers under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to set unreasonably stringent emissions standards, forcing businesses and consumers nationwide to comply with California's radical environmental agenda. Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22) leads the companion effort in the House of Representatives.

"California, through CARB, has taken its regulatory zeal too far," Senator Lee said. "By abusing the Clean Air Act's waiver provision, California is effectively legislating for the entire nation. This overreach is disrupting supply chains, resulting in higher costs for families, a reduction of consumer choice, and increased shipping expenses."

"California will not govern the great state of Texas," said Congressman Nehls. "The liberal state of California should not set egregious standards for the rest of the country. The Stop CARB Act will repeal the Harris-Biden's EPA's radical, out-of-touch use of CARB waivers, allowing other states to set their own standards and protecting consumer choice and our nation's supply chains. Hard-working Americans should not be burdened by the radical Left's climate agenda."

"Environmental extremists in California are abusing EPA waivers to force their radical EV agenda on our country," said Senator Ricketts. "Their emissions standards will restrict consumer choice, jeopardize national supply chains, and threaten our economy. Senator Lee's Stop CARB Act will strengthen Congressional oversight of rogue bureaucrats and protect Americans from California's delusional mandates."

In 1970, Congress passed the Clean Air Act, granting California the ability to apply for waivers that allow the state to set emissions standards higher than federal levels. Currently, California holds over 100 active waivers, imposing stringent requirements that affect industries ranging from automotive manufacturing to farming and construction. Other states can adopt these burdensome standards without modification, and 17 states plus the District of Columbia have done so, subjecting nearly half the nation's new vehicle registrations to California's draconian rules.

"Congress never intended for one state to dictate emissions policy for the entire country," Senator Lee continued. "The Stop CARB Act will ensure that California's regulatory reach stops at its own borders. We must restore balance and accountability to our regulatory system."

The Stop CARB Act will:

• Repeal California's waiver exemption in Section 209 of the Clean Air Act;
• Repeal Section 177 of the Clean Air Act, which allows other states to adopt California's emissions standards; and
• Nullify any active or pending waivers granted to California.

"For years, California has used the Biden-Harris EPA to force the rest of the country to adhere to unrealistic, Green New Deal-style climate requirements. Americans are tired of one radical state dictating federal standards for the rest of us. With Sen. Lee's repeal of the EPA's use of CARB waivers, states would be able to maintain their autonomy and create their own regulations without the threat of economic retribution." - Heritage Action

"Americans deserve choice in the vehicle marketplace. 'Bidenomics' has distorted prices, increased inflation, and made energy more costly for the American consumer. The Stop California from Advancing Regulatory Burden Act keeps one state from dominating the automobile technology horizon for other states, a key tenant in exercising federalism. AFP is proud to support Senator Lee's legislation to restore regulatory balance in the EPA waiver process." - Americans For Prosperity

"In the short line railroad industry, CARB's proposed rule would force railroads to set aside funds to acquire locomotives that are not commercially available, not viable at-scale, and not affordable for these small businesses. It ignores and upends the fundamental business model of short line railroads and threatens the critical link in the supply chain we represent. Furthermore, the rule is illegal, pre-empted by federal law, and evades any effort to recognize how it will uniquely impact small businesses." - Chuck Baker, President, American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association

"We commend Senator Mike Lee for introducing legislation that will help defend against some of the most egregious attacks on consumer freedom and the economy. Americans rely upon gas-powered cars to reliably and affordability meet their mobility needs. Americans rely on trains to get us the goods that make modern life possible. Yet one state, California, would like to kill off gas-powered cars and severely hinder supply chains, and it is possible that such actions would not only be allowed within the borders of California, but across the country." - Daren Bakst, Senior Fellow & Director of the Center for Energy and Environment, Competitive Enterprise Institute

"When it comes to the in-use locomotive rule, the California Air Resources Board remains hell bent on requiring railroads to purchase zero-emissions locomotives that are not even on the market today. The policy further defies logic as it will dramatically handicap the most environmentally friendly way to move goods over land as well as businesses and consumers across the nation. Sen. Lee's legislation will help rein in CARB's unreasonable agenda and protect Americans from undue economic harm." - Association of American Railroads President and CEO Ian Jefferies

Stop CARB Act: One-pager| Bill text

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