2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E
Credit: Ford
March 9, 2022 - SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom released the below statement today following the U.S. EPA’s restoration of California’s Clean Air Act waiver. The move remedies the previous administration’s groundless attack on a critical program that is based on California’s decades of experience setting emissions standards as authorized by law. With today’s action, California can continue its groundbreaking leadership in forging a clean transportation future as momentum for the zero-emission vehicle transition grows around the nation and world. “I thank the Biden Administration for righting the reckless wrongs of the Trump Administration and recognizing our decades-old authority to protect Californians and our planet,” said Governor Newsom. “The restoration of our state’s Clean Air Act waiver is a major victory for the environment, our economy, and the health of families across the country that comes at a pivotal moment underscoring the need to end our reliance on fossil fuels. California looks forward to partnering with the Biden Administration to make a zero-emission future a reality for all Americans.”California will continue to set the pace with innovative policies and partnerships with states that have chosen to adopt its pioneering standards and move us away from fossil fuels. Governor Newsom has advanced bold investments to accelerate the state’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) goals, including the California Blueprint’s proposed $10 billion ZEV package, that will deliver good jobs, spur innovation and help to clean the air. Together with the $5 billion investment in ZEV charging from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these historic investments will help make ZEVs more affordable and convenient for all Californians, while building out clean transportation infrastructure and charging stations, especially in low-income communities. California is committed to providing immediate relief to help working Californians face the realities of the moment with rising gas prices across the world. Governor Newsom in January proposed to pause the gas tax increase and during his State of the State address, announced that the administration is developing a tax rebate proposal to put money directly in the pockets of Californians.
Source: Office of the Governor
Statement by National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy on EPA’s Reinstatement of the California Waiver
For more than 30 years, the Clean Air Act has provided California with an ability to set standards that control of emissions from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines. And since that time, California has worked hand-in-hand with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to drive life-saving air pollution reductions, while spurring invention and investment in technologies and materials that enable the next generation of motor vehicles.Building on the momentum from California’s 2020 Framework Agreement on Clean Cars, the EPA set the most ambitious motor vehicle emissions standards in history and today, reinstated the California Waiver. Together, these steps provide the opportunity for the Biden-Harris Administration and the State of California under Governor Newsom’s leadership, to once again move forward in the direction of a harmonized national program that will benefit families all across America.
Source: Office of the White House
