The US House of Representatives has voted to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency‘s (EPA) 2023 approval of California’s plans to implement increasingly stringent zero-emission requirements for heavy-duty trucks.
Lawmakers also voted to repeal a separate EPA waiver issued in December 2023 that allowed California to enforce its “Omnibus” low-NOx regulation, which targets emissions from heavy-duty highway and off-road vehicles and engines, reported Reuters.
A further vote is expected concerning California’s plan to phase out sales of new petrol-only vehicles by 2035. That policy, which has been adopted by 11 other states, was also approved by the EPA through a Clean Air Act waiver in December 2024.
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At the heart of the debate is whether Congress holds the authority to revoke such waivers under the Congressional Review Act (CRA).
In March, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded that the CRA does not apply to EPA waivers, as it only requires a simple Senate majority for overturning regulations.
According to Reuters, the Senate Parliamentarian has issued similar guidance.
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The California Air Resources Board (CARB) responded to the votes by stating they contravened both the CRA and the findings of independent analyses from the GAO and Senate experts.
“CARB will continue its mission to protect the public health of Californians impacted by harmful air pollution,” a spokesperson said, as reported by Reuters.
Republican Representative John James, a key supporter of the resolutions, argued that California’s rules would significantly raise vehicle costs for manufacturers and consumers. He said the policies would “force costly transitions to electric trucks, driving up prices for goods and disproportionately burdening working families and truckers across the country.”
California’s zero-emission goals stem from an executive order issued by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2020, mandating that all operations involving medium- and heavy-duty vehicles shift to zero-emission alternatives by 2045.
The news comes as the Port of Long Beach in California moves forward with plans to allocate up to 70 per cent of its annual budget towards zero-emission (ZE) truck incentives. Through the CTF Rate programme, cargo owners pay $10 per loaded 20-foot container hauled by truck, while ZE trucks are permanently exempt and low-emission trucks receive temporary exemptions at both Long Beach and Los Angeles terminals.
