The Trump administration can't put a halt to clean cars and trucks so easily. Photo: Shutterstock.
UPDATE 2/19/2025: The Trump administration has announced it is going to try to unlawfully skirt the agency process we describe below. It plans to skip straight to Congress to revoke state clean cars and trucks waivers under a law called the “Congressional Review Act.” But this shady move is nearly assured to land it in court, because the Act simply does not apply to these waivers. In short, the story remains the same:
- Trump is taking illegal measures to deprive New Englanders of standards that protect the air, environment, and our wallets;
- CLF and our partners will keep up the fight – tough legal battles lie ahead; and
- New England states must not give in or back down on these life- and cost-saving standards.
This is part of an occasional series examining how the Trump administration may alter environmental laws.
It’s no secret that President Trump strongly opposes electric vehicles. He’s vowed to end the progress already made in modernizing cars and trucks to make them cheaper and cleaner. In fact, one of his many day one executive orders has provisions to do exactly that.
Moving past the fact that the “electric vehicle mandate” (as stated in the executive order) Trump promises to eliminate doesn’t actually exist, he does seek to end something called “emissions waivers.” The waivers he refers to are the EPA’s permission for states to implement stronger transportation pollution standards than the federal government. These waivers include authorization for standards known as the Advanced Clean Cars II and Advanced Clean Trucks. Both require vehicle manufacturers to sell an increasing number of clean cars and trucks each year – offering a larger variety of options and prices to people who want to upgrade.
These standards are vital. The gas- and diesel-powered vehicles we use to transport people and goods are New England’s largest source of carbon pollution. The contaminants from their tailpipes clog our air and damage the climate. Not to mention, relying on gas and diesel means we’re subject to volatile price spikes every time we hit the pump to refuel. Simply put, we need these waivers to slash our bills and protect the environment.
So, Can Trump Unwind State Clean Cars and Trucks Standards? Not legally!
As with many of the Trump administration’s rollbacks in its first month, it’s not as easy as it would have you think. Trump can’t do away with the waivers and the Advanced Clean Cars II and Advanced Clean Trucks standards with an executive order. The EPA already approved the waivers. To revoke them, the agency would need to start a lengthy process, which puts them on shaky legal ground. Then, the agency has to provide opportunities for the public to weigh in and has to consider everyone’s comments before deciding the waivers’ fate. Starting a shady process with an outcome already in mind will undoubtedly land the agency back in court.
Does that sound familiar? If it does, that’s because you’re probably remembering this exact scenario during Trump’s first presidency. His first attempt to eliminate the clean vehicle waivers took over a year, and the EPA was slowed down further by lawsuits challenging its decision to revoke them. CLF and our partners will ensure this go-round isn’t any easier for the administration.
What About Other Electric Vehicle Policy?
Trump’s other attempts to slow progress on electric vehicle deployment aren’t as simple as he’d have you think, either. Sure, his executive order ends Biden’s federal 50% electric vehicle goal for the country – which was just that, a goal with no accountability, anyway. But it will take Congressional action, not an executive order, to eliminate federal tax credits and financial incentives that make it more affordable for people to buy an electric vehicle.
Even with these setbacks, demand for electric cars and trucks continues to grow. Not to mention, automakers have invested billions of dollars into this modern technology. The market is already drastically shifting in favor of clean cars and trucks, whether Trump likes it or not. And while federal policy changes in the next four years could slow things down in the short-term, manufacturers aren’t going to flip on a dime and lose all the money they poured into this technology. (Or imperil their global competitiveness as demand for clean, cost-saving electric vehicles storms ahead in other countries).
Moreover, many electric vehicle manufacturing plants are in Republican-led states. Throwing obstacles in the pathway of electric vehicles across the country hits red states, too – in fact, even harder. That could make the administration and Congress more hesitant to act.
What About New England?
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont have all adopted the state clean cars and trucks standards these waivers allow. Implementing the standards and their targets remains legal for all three states, unless the EPA completes that lengthy process. And even then, the outcome is uncertain, since it’ll undoubtedly be challenged in court. That’s why we need state leaders to stay the course now more than ever as Trump dismantles common-sense policies at the federal level.
For New England states that haven’t adopted these standards (Maine, Connecticut, and New Hampshire), it’s time for state leaders to reckon with reality. Biden’s federal standards for clean cars and trucks are on the chopping block. Relying on the federal government to ensure we keep moving forward just means exposing New Englanders to greater fuel price volatility, more toxic air, and worsening climate pollution. The Advanced Clean Cars II and Advanced Clean Trucks standards remain the best way to cut bills and pollution from our transportation, protecting New England families and businesses.
We Won’t Let Trump Stop our Progress Toward an Affordable, Cleaner Future
Clean, electric vehicles are better for our wallets, the air we breathe, and the planet. That’s why we’re committed to continuing this path forward for the sake of every New Englander. Trump’s policies may slow this progress down – but they can’t stop it. And no matter what, CLF and our partners will be at the table ready to fight for the best interests of our families and businesses.
