EPA OKs California’s Vehicle Pollution Standards

WASHINGTON, DC - The Environmental Protection Agency granted California waivers to allow it to implement its vehicle emissions standards. These standards - Advanced Clean Cars II and Low NOx rules for trucks - will help that state and others that choose to adopt these standards address their air pollution and climate challenges by reducing harmful pollution from tailpipes and transitioning to cleaner cars and trucks.

Since 1967, when Congress established the waiver as part of the Clean Air Act, the EPA has granted California more than 75 waivers, including multiple times since the early 1990s for its zero-emission vehicle rules. Today's announcement builds on those precedents.

The following is a comment from Kathy Harris, director of clean vehicles at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

"Given California's extreme air pollution woes, Congress recognized the state's ability to set stronger standards for vehicles back when Lyndon Johnson was president. The state has been using this authority to help spur innovation and save lives for 57 years.

"These waivers allow California - and states that chose to align with it - to curb the pollution spewing from tailpipes and address the impacts of the climate crisis.

"California decided that transitioning to cleaner and zero-emission vehicles is the best way to address the unique burdens it faces. This is exactly how our system of federalism should work. If other states don't like California's approach, they don't need to follow it. But no one should object to the longstanding authority of states to act to protect their residents."

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).