Governor Newsom to U.S. Senate: ‘Will you side with China or America?’

Earlier this month, the Republican-controlled House illegally used the CRA to attempt to repeal three of California’s Clean Air Act waivers, which authorize California’s clean cars and trucks program. This defies decades of precedent of these waivers not being subject to the CRA, and contradicts the non-partisan Government Accountability Office and Senate Parliamentarian, who both ruled that the CRA’s short-circuited process does not apply to the waivers.

The state’s efforts to clean its air ramped up under then-Governor Ronald Reagan when he established the California Air Resources Board. California’s Clean Air Act waivers date back to the Nixon Administration – allowing the state to continue its longstanding work setting standards necessary for cleaning up some of the worst air pollution in the country.

California’s clean air authority

Since the Clean Air Act was adopted in 1970, the U.S. EPA has granted California more than 100 waivers for its clean air and climate efforts. California has consistently demonstrated that its standards are feasible, and that manufacturers have enough lead time to develop the technology to meet them. It has done so for every waiver it has submitted.

Waivers do not expire, and there is no process for revoking a waiver – which makes sense because governments and industry rely on market certainty that waivers provide for years after they are granted to deliver clean vehicles and develop clean air plans.

Although California standards have dramatically improved air quality, the state’s unique geography means air quality goals still require continued progress on vehicle emissions. Five of the ten cities with the worst air pollution nationwide are in California. Ten million Californians in the San Joaquin Valley and Los Angeles air basins currently live under what is known as “severe nonattainment” conditions for ozone. People in these areas suffer unusually high rates of asthma and cardiopulmonary disease. Zero-emission vehicles are a critical part of the plan to protect Californians.

These three regulations, being rolled back by Republicans – against the advice of the Senate Parliamentarian and GAO – will cost Californian taxpayers an estimated $45 billion in health care costs.

Making driving less affordable

With today’s efforts by Congressional Republicans, not only are they making clean air and clean water a thing of the past, they’re making driving a car more expensive. Zero-emission vehicles are often less expensive than their gas counterparts due to avoiding the need to pay for gasoline at the pump and smaller costs associated with maintenance and repair over the years. The regulations would provide $91 billion in cumulative net relief and economic benefits to Californians between next year and 2040.

Giving the keys to China

Despite being home to the technologies that have pioneered the clean car industry, the U.S. is rapidly ceding its dominance to China.

In the first quarter of this year, global electric vehicle sales rose by 35%, primarily driven by the growing affordability of electric models. China is the world’s EV manufacturing hub, responsible for more than 70% of global production, with Chinese imports making up three-quarters of the increase in EV sales across all emerging economies outside of China in 2024. Meanwhile, the U.S. is a net importer of electric vehicles.

California’s climate leadership

Pollution is down and the economy is up. Greenhouse gas emissions in California are down 20% since 2000 – even as the state’s GDP increased 78% in that same time period.

The state continues to set clean energy records. Last year, California ran on 100% clean electricity for the equivalent of 51 days – with the grid running on 100% clean energy for some period two out of every three days. Since the beginning of the Newsom Administration, battery storage is up to over 15,000 megawatts – a 1,900%+ increase.