According to media reports, a coalition of 11 states led by California has filed a lawsuit aiming to block a congressional move, supported by former President Donald Trump, to repeal California's 2035 zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) and heavy-duty truck emissions regulations.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit include states such as New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Washington. The defendants are Donald Trump, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and its Administrator, Lee Zeldin.
The lawsuit demands that a federal judge declare Trump's repeal of the EPA waivers issued during the Biden administration invalid. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the complaint states: "The federal government is executing an unlawful strategy that bypasses statutory procedures to illegally revoke California's environmental regulations."
Recently, Trump signed three congressional resolutions aimed at barring California from enforcing its EV sales mandate and diesel emissions standards. This includes the landmark plan to ban the sale of new gasoline-only cars by 2035.
Trump claimed, "By permanently repealing California's EV mandate, we've officially saved the American auto industry from the brink of destruction." In response, California Governor Gavin Newsom sharply criticized the move, stating, "Trump's all-out attack on California continues. This time, he's undermining our clean air and America's global competitiveness."
The EPA has dismissed the lawsuit as baseless. Agency spokesperson Molly Vaseliou said, "This is nothing more than an emotional outburst from California's government following policy pushback. The American people do not support the state's disastrous policies."
In March, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) asserted that Congress lacked the authority to repeal these EPA waivers. However, Senate Republicans ignored the advice of the Senate Parliamentarian and pushed forward with the repeal process under the Congressional Review Act.
The waivers granted under the Biden administration allowed California to require that by 2035, at least 80% of new vehicle sales be electric, with the remainder being plug-in hybrids.
Trump also signed resolutions to revoke the EPA's 2023 approval of California's plan to gradually increase the share of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks and to eliminate stricter NOx emissions standards for heavy-duty on-road and non-road vehicle engines. The lawsuit notes these key regulations targeting gasoline and diesel emissions were repealed as part of the broader rollback.
Furthermore, a bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in May seeks to eliminate the $7,500 federal tax credit for new electric vehicles, impose a $250 annual road usage fee for EVs, and repeal emissions rules designed to encourage automakers to produce more EVs. Another Senate proposal aims to eliminate penalties for failing to meet federal fuel economy standards.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation-which represents major automakers including General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai, and Stellantis-welcomed Trump's actions. The group argued that the EV mandates were "unachievable," would raise vehicle prices, limit consumer choice, and harm industry competition.
Alliance CEO John Bozzella stated that Trump acted "before the EV mandates could do real harm to the American auto industry, supporting consumer choice and helping restore balance to U.S. emissions regulations."
