Donald Trump to Sign Reversal of State Clean Car Standards, Selling Out Americans to Polluters and Unraveling Clean Air Act Protections

Today, Donald Trump signed Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions to repeal three California clean vehicle programs: Advanced Clean Cars II, Advanced Clean Trucks, and Heavy-Duty low-NOx Omnibus.

In response, Sierra Club Clean Transportation for All Director Katherine García released the following statement:

“The Trump administration’s attack on clean air and clean vehicles only benefits the fossil fuel industry, leaving Americans to foot the bill with higher fueling costs, limited vehicle choices, and more pollution. Instead of investing in electric vehicle manufacturing here in the U.S. and leading us towards a healthier future, the administration is dead set on pushing us backwards and ceding EV innovation and leadership to China. The Sierra Club will continue to fight for clean transportation solutions across the country.”

Background on the clean vehicle programs and CRA votes:

The EPA granted waivers to California for these three programs through congressionally-granted authority under the Clean Air Act. For nearly 50 years, California has had the authority to establish vehicle pollution standards that are more protective than the federal standards, and states have had the explicit right granted under the Clean Air Act to protect their residents’ health by choosing California’s standards.

The Senate votes on May 22 were an unlawful use of the CRA, and inconsistent with decades of precedent, decisions by the Government Accountability Office, and the Senate Parliamentarian. The CRA does not apply to “adjudicatory orders” or “rules of particular applicability” like waivers, as the Government Accountability Office determined in 2023 and recognized again in March. The Senate Parliamentarian also confirmed earlier in April that the CRA cannot be used to repeal the waivers.

All three programs help to improve air quality for Californians, as well as for residents in many other states that have adopted the programs. See Sierra Club’s state tracker here.

Advanced Clean Cars II: The ACC II program allows California to enforce vehicle emission standards stronger than the federal government’s which the state needs to comply with federal air quality standards and curb health-harming vehicle pollution for its residents. California has severe problems meeting the federal ozone air quality standards, and reducing vehicle pollution is essential since vehicles are the largest source of ozone precursors in the State. Twelve other states and the District of Columbia have adopted the program as well under the authority of the Clean Air Act.

Advanced Clean Trucks: The ACT program requires manufacturers to increasingly sell a certain number of zero-emission trucks and buses in California, ramping up gradually over time to reach 40-75% sales requirement for zero-emission trucks and buses in 2035. Ten other states have adopted the program as well.

Heavy-Duty low-NOx Omnibus: The HDO program helps to cut smog-forming nitrogen oxides from heavy-duty vehicles in California by setting more stringent air pollution emissions standards (eventually requiring a 90% cut in NOx emissions from model year 2027 engines), improving testing requirements for engines, and extending engine warranties. Nine other states have adopted the program as well.