The Hill - Supreme Court to consider reviving industry’s bid to axe California clean car standards

by Rachel Frazin - 12/13/24 3:55 PM ET

The Supreme Court indicated Friday that it will take up a case that could revive industry efforts to axe California’s stricter-than-federal vehicle emissions standards.

The high court granted a petition from companies and groups representing oil refiners and biofuel producers that seeks to revive their lawsuit against the Biden administration’s reinstatement of California’s clean cars program.

In 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave California the OK to enforce rules that required car companies to sell new cars in the state that produced less pollution — including by requiring a share of the cars sold to be electric or hybrid. Several other states have also adopted California’s rule.

The industry and red states sued over this action. They have argued that the Biden administration was essentially allowing California to act as “a junior-varsity EPA.”

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out their challenge on a technicality — saying they could not bring the case forward because they did not sufficiently prove how it would harm them.

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