California sues Trump over auto emissions battle
- Joann Muller, author of Axios What's Next
Photo: Florian Gaertner / Contributor/Getty Images
California and 23 other states filed suit against the Trump administration's plan to revoke the state's authority to set stricter tailpipe emissions rules than the rest of the country.
Why it matters: The outcome could have myriad effects, from which vehicles Americans drive years from now to the balance between state and federal power, the Washington Post notes. Automakers, some of which sided with California's stricter emissions targets, are dreading a drawn-out legal battle and being left not knowing which standards to follow.
The big picture: The suit comes as no surprise in the escalating conflict between Trump and the country's most populous state, with discord on a variety of topics from the environment to immigration.
What's next: The Environmental Protection Agency and Dept. of Transportation are expected to set new national emissions and mileage mandates for 2022-2026, which would roll back regulatory targets set by the Obama administration.