California is gearing up for a legal battle with the federal government over its right to set vehicle emissions standards, according to the state’s attorney general, Rob Bonta. The state’s lawmakers are not taking the recent Senate Republicans’ decision lightly, as they voted 51 to 44 to overturn a waiver that has allowed California to enforce stricter air pollution rules for vehicles. This waiver has been in place for over 50 years, with California receiving it more than 100 times.

Bonta expressed his frustration, calling the move a “weaponization” of the Congressional Review Act to target California’s waivers. He believes that this is just another partisan attack on the state’s efforts to safeguard the public and the environment from harmful pollution. He stated, “As we have said before, this reckless misuse of the Congressional Review Act is unlawful, and California will not stand idly by.”

Sixteen other states and the District of Columbia have followed California’s lead in adopting its emissions standards. Most of these states have even started phasing out fossil fuel vehicles. In addition to overturning the waiver for air pollution standards, the Senate also repealed waivers that permitted California to set tougher emissions standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.

California’s zero-emissions vehicle mandate is set to kick in starting in 2026, with a goal to only have zero-emission cars and passenger trucks on the roads by 2035. The state plans to gradually increase sales of zero-emission vehicles until the full transition is complete. Currently, the two qualifying technologies are hydrogen fuel cells and battery electric vehicles. However, due to challenges faced by fuel cells and hydrogen filling networks, electric vehicles have become the preferred choice to meet California’s 2035 target.

Despite the progress made in transitioning to zero-emission vehicles, automakers have expressed concerns about meeting the state’s requirements. Last year, only 25.3% of new light-duty vehicles in California met the zero-emissions criteria, with electric vehicles dominating the market. The mandate stipulates that by 2026, 35% of new vehicle sales must be zero-emission, a goal that automakers believe is unattainable.

The recent Senate vote to revoke California’s emissions waiver goes against the advice of the Senate parliamentarian and the Government Accountability Office. Both entities had previously determined that the waiver could not be revoked under the Congressional Review Act. This act allows for a simple majority vote to overturn regulations, bypassing the filibuster threat in the Senate.

Attorney General Rob Bonta had anticipated these actions by Republicans and was ready to defend California against them. He had expressed his readiness to challenge any wrongful use of the Congressional Review Act. As of now, California is preparing to take legal action against the federal government to protect its right to set vehicle emissions standards.

So, there you have it, folks. California is not backing down in the face of challenges to its environmental regulations. It’s a showdown between state and federal authorities, and only time will tell how this legal battle unfolds. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.