Journal Press: Missouri has become the 20th state to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its decision to back a California law that aims to phase out gas-powered trucks by 2045. The law would require truck manufacturers to increase sales of zero-emission vehicles while reducing the number of gas-powered vehicles on the road.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced the state’s decision to sue the EPA on Monday, describing California’s law as an “illegal ban” that will regulate the trucking industry out of existence. Bailey’s office argued that the EPA’s decision would harm Missouri’s economy and trucking community.
I will always fight to protect Missouri businesses, and that includes the trucking community that is vital to the success of our state. Joe Biden is partnering with California to attempt to upend Missouri’s economy through the federal administrative state, and my office isn’t going to stand for it.
California’s authority to implement its own emission standards and zero-emission vehicle sales mandate was reinstated by the EPA in March 2023, a decision that Missouri and other states are now challenging. While California’s legislation is not binding on other states, some, including New York and Washington, have adopted similar rules.
Missouri Joins 19 States in Lawsuit Against EPA Over California’s Trucking Ban
The lawsuit was filed in the US Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia on June 5 by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, who is joined by the attorneys general of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Current US regulations require automakers to achieve an average fuel economy of 47 miles per gallon for their passenger cars and light-duty trucks by 2026. The EPA is expected to announce tougher standards for car emissions this year, which is part of the Biden administration’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change.
The EPA’s American Rescue Plan funds have recently been used to replace diesel school buses with electric buses. The EPA reportedly spent $47 million of the $1.9 trillion stimulus on converting old diesel school buses to zero-emission vehicles.
The move by Missouri and other states to challenge California’s trucking ban comes amid growing debate over the shift to electric vehicles and reducing emissions. However, some critics argue that the US is overly reliant on China for rare earth materials and other components necessary for electric vehicle production.
Despite the challenges, various US automakers have announced plans to transition to electric vehicles in recent years. In January, General Motors said it aims to become carbon neutral by 2040. Ford Motor Company has also committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Overall, electric vehicle sales in the US have been growing steadily, with more than 330,000 EVs sold in 2021 alone. But with more and more states adopting legislation aimed at phasing out gas-powered vehicles, the shift to electric vehicles is expected to accelerate in the coming years.
