Photo/California Air Resources Board

March 15, 2025 - WASHINGTON – This week Senator Mike Lee posted the following:

Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced the Stop California from Advancing Regulatory Burden Act, or Stop CARB Act, to rein in California's outsized influence over national emissions standards. For decades, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has used federal waivers under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to set unreasonably stringent emissions standards, forcing businesses and consumers nationwide to comply with California's radical environmental agenda. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Steve Daines (R-MT), James Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Justice (R-WV), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Ted Cruz (R-TX). Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX) has introduced the companion bill in the House of Representatives.  

"California has abused the Clean Air Act’s waiver provision for years, essentially imposing ridiculous emission standards on the other 49 states,” said Senator Lee. “Fortunately, the rest of the country isn’t governed by far-left extremists like California, and we shouldn’t have to answer to them. By putting an end to this overreach, our legislation will keep costs lower for hardworking American families, increase consumer choice, and restore economic freedom.”

“The radical liberal state of California should never be able to govern for our great state of Texas,” said Congressman Nehls. “California should not be legislating for the rest of the country. My bill will ensure that California only governs California, not hard-working patriots in my district, by repealing California’s waiver.” 

In 1970, Congress passed the Clean Air Act, granting California the ability to apply for waivers that allow the state to set emissions standards higher than federal levels. Currently, California holds over 100 active waivers, imposing stringent requirements that affect industries ranging from automotive manufacturing to farming and construction. Other states can adopt these burdensome standards without modification, and 17 states plus the District of Columbia have done so, subjecting nearly half the nation's new vehicle registrations to California's draconian rules.

The Stop CARB Act will:

• Repeal California's waiver exemption in Section 209 of the Clean Air Act;
• Repeal Section 177 of the Clean Air Act, which allows other states to adopt California's emissions standards; and
• Nullify any active or pending waivers granted to California.

 The legislation is endorsed by the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), American Petroleum Institute (API), American Trucking Associations (ATA) and American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM).

“California should not be setting what can amount to national emission standards for new motor vehicles and nonroad engines. Yet this is exactly what can happen. If the EPA gets rid of its de facto EV mandate, that’s not the end of the war on gas-powered cars. Among other threats, California has a rule that would kill off gas-powered cars, banning the sale of new gas cars by 2035. There’s nothing de facto about it. The Biden EPA just gave the green light for California to move forward with this car-killing rule. Other states can then adopt the same requirements and even if they don’t, manufacturers may simply adopt the stringent California standards to have a single set of requirements. CEI commends Senator Lee for introducing legislation that would put an end to this attack on our cars and defend consumer freedom. It would do so by finally repealing the special and unjustified treatment California gets under the Clean Air Act. As a result, the extreme and harmful vehicle emission policies of California could no longer set national policy.”  -Daren Bakst, Director, Competitive Enterprise Institute

“Congress must take the keys away from California regulators whose unachievable EV mandates are undermining our supply chains and derailing the tremendous progress we have made to reduce emissions.  We are grateful for Senator Lee and Representative Nehls’ leadership to restore common sense to our environmental regulations and stopping California from exporting its bad ideas to other states.  We look forward to working with Congress and the Trump Administration to develop realistic, technology-neutral federal emissions standards that will benefit our environment, preserve and create jobs, and set our industry up for success,” -Henry Hanscom, Senior Vice President of Legislative Affairs for the American Trucking Associations.  
Source: Senator Mike Lee