California is pressing full force on the accelerator in a quest to evade the Trump administration's latest emissions rules.
This month, California is fighting back on the Trump administration's proposal that disallows California from setting its own standards, pledging with 18 other states to fight in court. Under the plan, new cars and light trucks would need to average 37 mpg through 2026, versus Obama's 47 mpg average.
Automakers have expressed concern regarding the different standards requested by California versus other states, citing increasing complexities in manufacturing and regulations.
"Dirty, gas guzzling vehicles are a direct assault on public health, and foreclose our ability to rein in air pollution and greenhouse gases," said California Air Resources Board chair Mary Nichols in a statement. "California will take all actions to ensure that the smart standards we developed in partnership with the auto industry to cut greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles stay in place."
The latest Trump Administration mandate also negates an original plan by Gov. Jerry Brown to cut emissions nearly 50 percent by the end of next year, with greenhouse gas population levels already showing a remarkable decline compared to 1990 levels.
Now, the new mandate could result in a fuel use increase of up to 500,000 additional barrels a day.
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