California is making history. Although the Golden State may not have the best record when it comes to motor vehicle accidents (there were 3,651 deaths in 2018, the second-most in the nation), it is determined to eliminate the harm caused by vehicular emissions. It has its own clean air agency called the California Air Resources Board, or CARB, which is dedicated to attaining and maintaining healthy air quality, protecting the public from exposure to toxic air contaminants, and providing innovative approaches for complying with air pollution rules and regulations.
CARB was established in 1967 by then-governor Ronald Reagan, but has recently come under fire by the Trump Administration; the argument is that federal law should preempt California from setting its own emissions rules. Though the proposal is not expected to head to the White House for final review for several more weeks, it has already been backed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As such, the emissions requirements have been frozen for new cars and trucks at 2020 levels through 2026.
Diesel-powered vehicles account for approximately 4% of the entire U.S. vehicle fleet and contribute greatly to pollution, so the ruling has serious consequences. Fortunately, four major automakers decided to strike their own deal with the state of California, defying the federal proposal. Ford Motor Co, BMW AG, Volkswagen AG, and Honda Motor Co reported that they have reached a voluntary agreement to abide by California’s vehicle emissions rules.
“Ensuring that America’s vehicles are efficient, safe, and affordable is a priority for us all,” they said in a joint statement describing the accord. “These terms will provide our companies much-needed regulatory certainty by allowing us to meet both federal and state requirements with a single national fleet, avoiding a patchwork of regulations while continuing to ensure meaningful greenhouse gas emissions reductions.”
It’s as practical as it is ethical; a dozen U.S. states have adopted California’s vehicle emissions rules, covering more than a third of all U.S. sales. Mary Nichols, chair of CARB, explains.
“They didn’t want to face the expense, distraction, and the bad publicity that comes from being part of a big rollback on clean cars.”
The hope is that this compromise deal will restart Trump talks regarding emissions requirements, but nothing is set in stone. We can only wait to see what happens.
