California has approved standards that the White House still wants to review.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) finalized 2022-2025 emissions rules for the state and also set a mandate for zero-emission sales over the same time period. CARB has also ordered its workers to start on determining targets for beyond 2025.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently said that it would reconsider the 2022-2025 tailpipe emissions targets just last week, but California is moving forwards anyways
The move could prove to be problematic if federal regulators decide to go in a different direction, since about a dozen states follow California’s car regulations in full or part. Not only could different targets be an issue for automakers, but consumers as well.
SEE ALSO: EPA Moves to Lock in 2025 Emissions Standards
After Trump’s election but prior to him taking office, the Obama administration rushed to finalize the federal standards, but automakers said there was not enough time for consideration. Since then, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it would reconsider the 2022-2025 targets after automakers requested a review.
A White House official told the Trump administration was committed to protecting jobs and providing consumers with affordable cars. U.S. and California regulators projected that stricter pollution controls could add about $1,000 to the cost of each car sold in 2025, with mileage increasing from 38.3 mpg in model year 2021 to 46.3 for model year 2025.
[Source: Reuters]
