September 25, 2019 - Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Tuesday released the following statement on the administration’s threat to withhold transportation funding from California over how the state administers the Clean Air Act:

“The Trump administration’s threat to withhold California’s highway funding over clean air quality reports is the height of hypocrisy. California doesn’t need to be lectured by an administration beholden to polluters.

“The administration is trying to undo all the progress we’ve made in reducing harmful emissions and combating climate change. It wants to allow more offshore oil drilling and roll back the methane rules. It abandoned the Paris Climate Agreement and is trying to replace the Clean Power Plan. And now it’s attacking California’s right to set our own, stronger tailpipe emissions standards, the most effective tool in improving air quality.

“I remember the days when you couldn’t see further than two blocks in parts of Los Angeles because of the intense smog. But we took concerted action and the air quality has drastically improved. California is now in the vanguard of the fight against climate change. The administration should join us in that effort.

“California won’t be bullied into giving up its waiver to set stronger air quality standards under the Clean Air Act. If the White House wants a fight over what needs to be done to protect our air, we are happy to have that fight any day.”
Source: Senator Dianne Feinstein