House Republicans passed three resolutions that would eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Act waivers for three vehicle emissions rules in California.
House resolutions H.J.Res. 87, H.J.Res. 88 and H.J.Res. 89 would end California’s Advanced Clean Trucks, Advanced Clean Cars II, and Heavy-Duty Low NOx Omnibus rules.
Leaders of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) and Co-Chairs Reps. Doris Matsui, Mike Quigley, and Paul Tonko and Vice Chairs Reps. Don Beyer of Virginia, Suzanne Bonamici, Sean Casten, Mike Levin and Chellie Pingree responded to passage of the resolutions.
“Republicans control all levers of federal government, but rather than using those levers to make the lives of everyday Americans better, House Republicans have instead decided to unlawfully undermine California’s legal right to address air pollution within its borders, jeopardizing Californians’ access to clean air and threatening to undo decades of progress. Today’s votes are a testament to Republicans’ extreme hypocrisy, paying lip service to states’ rights while attempting to stop California from protecting its own residents. This extremist crusade against California’s clean air regulations comes at a moment when the stakes for public health and a clean economy could not be any higher,” the SEEC wrote.
California has set its own standards for vehicle pollution for more than 50 years, and the Clean Air Act allows the state authority because California‘s standards predated federal standards. The state also has its own authority because it faces its own particular challenges with air pollution.
“The state has used this longstanding authority more than 100 times to dramatically reduce the deadly smog and other toxic air pollution that once hung over California, and California’s leadership has helped to set the country on the path towards cleaner, safer cars and healthier communities. Cleaner transportation means that our families and children are less likely to have health problems associated with air pollution, such as asthma attacks, strokes, heart disease, cancer and premature death. Global markets and the American consumer are clearly demanding cleaner, cheaper transportation options, which scares fossil fuel companies to death. And so, House Republicans are rushing to their aid, using every tool in their toolbox to restrict Americans’ ability to purchase cleaner, cheaper vehicles,” the SEEC wrote.
The House energy coalition called the passage of the resolutions not just an attack on the state of California but on every American who wants to breathe clean air and have affordable vehicle options.
“Air pollution costs lives – that shouldn’t be controversial or confusing for House Republicans. Yet, they continue to bow down to their polluting donors at the price of American lives,” the SEEC wrote.
The SEEC is a coalition of 100 members of the U.S. House of Representatives that was founded in January 2009 to be a focused, active, and effective coalition for advancing policies that address climate change, promote clean energy innovation and domestic manufacturing, develop renewable energy resources, create family-sustaining clean jobs, protect our nation’s air, water, and natural environment, and promote environmental justice.
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Rebecca Barnabi
