19 states announce lawsuit over Trump's planned emissions standards rollback

Several states are gearing up for a fight with the Trump administration.

Following the White House's release of a proposal to cripple Obama-era fuel regulations, 19 states have stated they plan to sue to stop the rollback. The administration's new plan — snappily titled the "50-state fuel economy and tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions standard for passenger cars and light trucks" — calls for holding 2020 fuel efficiency standards steady through 2026, undoing the plan for Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards to get stricter every year until 2025.

Alongside this plan is a proposal to withdraw California's Clean Air Act preemption waiver, which allows the state to impose its own stricter emissions standards in response to its poor air quality. Thirteen other states plus Washington, D.C., abide by California's standards, while Colorado has announced its intent to be the 14th. These states make up about a third of the entire U.S. automobile market, Reuters notes.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The Trump administration argues that a rollback of regulations would prevent fatalities by reducing car prices, leading people to buy automobiles that are newer and safer. But many states don't agree: The attorneys general of the 19 states plus D.C., led by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, plan to sue the Trump administration to prevent the proposal. States fighting the plan allege that it is illegal and say it will result in increased air pollution and increased costs for drivers.

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) called the proposal "reckless," saying in a statement, "California will fight this stupidity in every conceivable way possible." Whatever the outcome, the fight over fuel standards will likely have a long road ahead. Read more at Reuters.