July 26, 2019—Four automakers have signed a deal with California to adopt vehicle emissions rules, defying the Trump Administration’s plan to strip the state of that right, reports the Huffington Post and the Associated Press.
“Ensuring that America’s vehicles are efficient, safe and affordable is a priority for us all,” the automakers said in a joint statement that described the accord with California as a move to maintain a nationwide set of fuel efficiency requirements.
Environmental Protection Agency spokesman Michael Abboud called the deal a "PR stunt," while White House spokesman Judd Deere added, "The federal government, not a single state, should set this standard."
In August 2018, the White House proposed revoking California’s legal right to impose its own state emissions standards or require a rising number of electric vehicles, and argues that federal law should preempt California from setting its own emissions rules.
More than a dozen states have adopted California’s emission standards. These states include Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C.
The Trump Administration will keep going on its competing effort to relax mileage standards nationwide, Deere said.
