Coalition challenges California EV mandate in U.S. Supreme Court

A coalition of 15 energy, agriculture, and biofuel groups has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) seeking to review and overturn a waiver granted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that allows the state of California to enforce its 2021-2025 electric vehicle (EV) mandate. This mandate permits California to set stricter vehicle greenhouse gas emission standards than those mandated federally.

The petitioners, including prominent organisations such as the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), Clean Fuels Development Coalition, and Valero Renewable Fuels Company LLC, argue that the waiver infringes on federal jurisdiction and disrupts national uniformity in vehicle standards. They contend that such regulatory power should not be vested in a single state.

The coalition’s certiorari petition to the Supreme Court seeks two primary outcomes:

1. Review and Overturn: The coalition requests SCOTUS to overturn an April ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which determined that the petitioners lacked standing to challenge the EPA’s waiver.

2. Merits of the Case: They ask the court to address the core issue, asserting that the Clean Air Act’s “California waiver” does not authorise any state to regulate vehicle greenhouse gas emissions, impose EV mandates, or limit consumer access to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

The D.C. Circuit’s decision affirmed California’s long standing authority to establish its own vehicle emission standards under the Clean Air Act, which has significantly contributed to reductions in air pollution. The ruling supports California’s pivotal role in the national effort to combat climate change, with 17 other states adopting California’s standards.

“We are asking the Supreme Court to reverse the D.C. Circuit’s erroneous holding that fuel providers lack standing to challenge EPA’s unlawful California waiver. The waiver compels automakers to produce more electric vehicles than the market demands, creating an inventory surplus. It’s crucial for the Supreme Court to provide clarity on this matter,” said AFPM President and CEO Chet Thompson.