Under Trump, California’s clean car rules are essential — and vulnerable
The Trump administration came close to fully dismantling the federal government’s regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from cars Monday, announcing a final plan to ease fuel-efficiency requirements. The move was largely symbolic: Congress had already eliminated the penalties automakers face for violating those standards. Those steps, along with a range of other reductions in federal climate authority, have now left the federal government with virtually no meaningful policy governing carbon pollution from cars, which account for roughly 16 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
But one entity still has enough sway, and just enough regulatory authority, to keep pressing car companies toward greater fuel efficiency: California. The state’s vehicle emissions rules are still in effect, effectively setting a baseline for fuel efficiency that automakers cannot fall below without potentially incurring penalties. The Trump administration has been busy attacking …