US Supreme Court will not pause California emissions case amid Trump policy shifts

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

February 6, 2025 4:34 PM EST Updated 12 hours ago


Feb 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Thursday to place on hold a dispute over California's standards for vehicle emissions and electric cars even as President Donald Trump's administration considers policy shifts that touch upon pending litigation at the nation's highest judicial body.

The justices denied the administration's request to pause further action in the case, as well as two cases concerning which courts may hear challenges to EPA rules. The justices previously agreed to take up these cases but have not yet heard arguments in them.

The justices, however, granted a request to put on hold a dispute over a rule issued by Democratic former President Joe Biden's administration that would make it easier for students defrauded by their colleges to have their loans forgiven. As is customary, the court did not explain the reasons for these decisions, issuing only brief orders in each case.

Trump, a Republican, began his second term as president on January 20. Legal experts expect his administration to change positions from the ones taken under Biden in a number of major cases at the court.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-will-not-pause-california-emissions-case-amid-trump-policy-2025-02-06/

[SunSeeker]

1. I don't think this is necessarily good news for California.

From the article:

The justices on December 13 agreed to hear the dispute over California's vehicle standards, which involves a 2022 exception given to that state by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during Biden's presidency to national vehicle emission standards set by the agency under the Clean Air Act anti-pollution law.

A Valero Energy (VLO.N), opens new tab subsidiary and fuel industry groups appealed a lower court's rejection of their challenge to the EPA's waiver decision.

States and municipalities are generally preempted from enacting their own standards. But Congress let the EPA waive the preemption rule to allow Democratic-governed California to set certain regulations that are stricter than federal standards.

The EPA's action reinstated a waiver for California to set its own tailpipe emissions limits and zero-emission vehicle mandate through 2025, reversing a 2019 decision during Trump's first term in office rescinding the waiver.

SCOTUS will probably overturn California's right to set its own tailpipe emissions standards, thus forcing CA to allow auto manufacturers to merely comply with EPA standards, which under Trump will be next to nothing. This would destroy the air quality in Southern California.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. The SCOTUS actually punted on some of the stuff back in December

Supreme Court spares California auto emissions waiver — for now


By Lesley Clark | 12/16/2024 06:44 AM EST


The Supreme Court last week took up a case related to a challenge of California’s Clean Air Act waiver — but rejected the broader question of whether the Golden State has the legal authority to impose the nation’s strongest auto pollution standards. Legal opponents of California’s long-standing vehicle emissions program said they were pleased that the justices plan to examine business groups’ standing to bring their case and expressed optimism that the court could review the question at the heart of their challenge at a later date.

“The drastic impacts of California’s EV mandates on consumers, national security and electricity reliability are major questions in need of immediate resolution as California and the U.S. EPA continue to stretch and abuse the limits of Congress’ Clean Air Act waiver provision,” said Chet Thompson, president and CEO of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, one of the groups challenging the waiver.

He said Congress did not give the state authority to regulate greenhouse gases, mandate electric vehicles or ban new gas car sales — “all of which the state is attempting to do through its intentional misreading of statute.” California’s Clean Air Act waiver, granted in recognition of the state’s unique air pollution problems, has been in effect since the Nixon administration, except for a period when EPA revoked it under then-President Donald Trump.

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to decide only whether fossil fuel interests and other trade organizations have the power to argue in court that California’s waiver reduces demand for their products. Alice Henderson — director and lead counsel for transportation and air at the Environmental Defense Fund, which has helped defend the waiver in court — said California’s auto emissions program is grounded in “a rock-solid legal foundation and decades of precedent.”

(snip)

[SunSeeker]

3. Yes, but this SCOTUS had never been constrained to the question presented.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. True

although it is odd which things they seem to want to torpedo and which things they are willing to leave in place.

[Old Crank]

5. It is a shame

most environmental regs, and others, got written so that states had to follow the federal regs as a minimum. But could increase the restrictions. CA did it for air quality. Uner the idea that more local places could regulate based on their knowledge or unique situations.
With the car regs, I think over 10 other states went with the CA regs.
Got to love these states rights liars.

[Wiz Imp]

6. Disagree. The court is more likely to place the hold if they lean toward overturning things.

That doesn't mean they won't overturn it, but in the meantime, it is still a positive for California to be able to maintain setting their own standards.