Statement on Signing Legislation Regarding Congressional Disapproval of Environmental Protection Agency Rules Relating to Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Standards in California

President Donald J. Trump signed legislation that disapproves of certain Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules related to vehicle fuel efficiency standards in California. This action prevents California from implementing its Advanced Clean Cars II, Advanced Clean Trucks, and Omnibus Low NOX programs. As a result, these California programs, which aimed to impose a nationwide electric vehicle mandate and regulate national fuel economy, cannot be put into effect. The EPA is also prohibited from approving future waivers for California that are substantially similar or would impose California's policy goals across the entire country.

This action directly affects California's ability to set and enforce its own vehicle emission and fuel efficiency standards, including those related to greenhouse gases and electric vehicles. It also impacts the EPA's authority to grant waivers to California for such regulations, particularly those that extend beyond localized issues or affect the entire nation. By preventing California's standards from becoming national, the action affects vehicle manufacturers and consumers across the United States.

The President stated that this action is important for preserving the balance of power between states and the federal government, arguing that vehicle emissions standards should be set by the federal government due to the interstate nature of air quality. He also stated that the Constitution does not allow one state to impose its standards, such as an electric vehicle mandate, on the entire nation. The President's statement on signing this legislation is called a "signing statement." The legal weight and constitutional appropriateness of signing statements, where presidents express concerns or objections to parts of a law they sign, have been debated. Critics argue they can resemble an unconstitutional line-item veto, while defenders say presidents have a duty to identify constitutional issues. The propriety of this specific statement depends on whether it announces non-enforcement or simply records the President's views.

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