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Trump’s Environmental Attack on California Is Unlawful

Statement of Scott Nelson, Attorney, Public Citizen Litigation Group

Note: Today, President Donald Trump said his administration is revoking the Clean Air Act waiver that allows California to regulate tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases, and the administration is expected to announce the issuance by the U.S. Department of Transportation of a rule saying that such state regulations are pre-empted by federal fuel economy standards. Public Citizen has long fought the Trump administration’s attacks on the environment and has previously taken legal action against the White House over its efforts to roll back the clean car standards.

The administration’s planned withdrawal of this important waiver and its position that state greenhouse gas regulations are pre-empted by federal fuel economy standards are contrary to both the Clean Air Act and the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. These actions will further impede efforts to combat global climate change even as the signs of impending climate disaster grow ever clearer.

The administration’s actions, if they are finalized, will be speedily challenged in court by a broad coalition of environmental and consumer groups and, we would expect, by California and other affected states.