California To Sue The EPA Over Emission Standards And Will Stop Buying Gas Vehicles

The state of California has made several far reaching decisions about car standards since late last week by simultaneously going completely green on state-owned vehicles while also suing the EPA over taking away their car emission rules.

On Monday the California Department of General Services stopped buying gas-powered vehicles for the first time in the history of the state. Governor Gavin Newsom had announced Friday that only alternative fueled vehicles could be bought for the state. While this is largely going towards electric vehicles, other types, including former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s much hyped hydrogen fueled vehicle plan, will be under it.

The announcement, part of Governor Newsom’s greenhouse gas reduction plan, also made clear that California would only buy vehicles from companies that have recognized California’s air pollution standards. This has left out prominent companies like GM and Toyota, as they have sided with the federal air pollution rules.

Also beginning this week is California’s offensive against the federal government over emission standards. California, as well as 22 other states sued the EPA on Friday over their ruling to invalidate the notion that other states can have separate emission standards on vehicles.

The second half of 2019 has been a back and forth between the State of California and the Trump Administration over car emissions being set to California or Federal Standards.The Court of Appeals lawsuit against the EPA would block the Federal Government from taking away California’s stricter Emission standards, as well as the standards of other states.

“It’s like giving money to the candidate you hope will win in a race. You give money to a loser and you’re not going to have any influence or get what you want into a law easily. It’s that serious.”

California’s laws are not set to go into effect until January 1st while the Appeals Court isn’t expected to have a ruling in the immediate future. A ruling may also be delayed due to the current impeachment proceedings going on in Washington.