SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s initiative to reduce pollution emissions from diesel locomotives and large trucks has hit a roadblock as concerns mount over opposition from the forthcoming administration under President Trump.
On Tuesday, the California Air Resources Board announced its decision to retract requests made to the federal government for approval of enhanced emissions standards for trains and semi-trucks. This move comes just before President Joe Biden’s departure from the office.
During his first term, Trump made attempts to undermine California’s climate actions, including initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.
One of the retracted regulations aimed to phase out the sale of new diesel trucks and buses by the year 2036. This rule was adopted by the Air Resources Board in 2023. In addition, another regulation, which received approval the same month, intended to ban locomotive engines older than 23 years by 2030 and promote a shift towards zero-emission technologies for freight transportation from ports to rail yards.
Both proposals faced significant opposition from industry representatives, who described the measures as expensive and challenging to implement.
Chair of the Air Resources Board, Liane Randolph, stated that the agency is currently reviewing its options for continuing to tackle emissions that contribute to climate change and strive for improved air quality. However, she did not provide detailed plans for the future.
“While we are disheartened that the U.S. EPA could not act on all requests in a timely manner, withdrawing this request is a vital step due to the uncertainty posed by the new administration that has previously challenged California’s initiatives aimed at safeguarding public health and the environment,” Randolph expressed in an official statement.
Mike Alpern, a spokesperson for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest region, confirmed that the agency would refrain from taking any further steps concerning these regulations.
California has consistently maintained the right to enforce emissions standards that exceed those set at the federal level. During the Trump administration, this authority was contested. However, a federal court ruled last year in favor of California, affirming its capacity to establish stringent vehicle emissions regulations that may lead the nation. Recently, the EPA permitted California to enforce a new rule that will prohibit the sale of new gasoline-powered cars in the state by 2035.
Karoline Leavitt, a representative for Trump’s transition team, refrained from commenting on the withdrawal of California’s waiver requests but mentioned that the new president intends to focus on enhancing air and water quality during his anticipated second term.
