The California Air Resources Board and State Attorney General are being sued over the state’s emissions rules. Sixteen states, the Arizona Legislature, and the Nebraska Trucking Association are listed as plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Advanced Clean Fleets rule. They argue that the vehicle mandate, stemming from a 2020 executive order signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, is an overreach by effectively imposing California’s standards nationwide due to its significant market influence and major ports.
The suit claims the vehicle mandate violates the Congressional Commerce Clause restricting states from regulating interstate commerce without federal approval. The lawsuit states “California has attempted to override federal law and arrogate to itself the power to ban internal-combustion engines in medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.” The plaintiffs assert that the California regulations would disrupt the supply chain, increase transport costs, and raise prices by forcing the retirement of internal combustion trucks, and requiring fleets to adapt to California’s rules. The lawsuit seeks to halt the implementation of these regulations, emphasizing the need for federal uniformity in emissions standards and interstate commerce regulation.
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Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West