Oregon is one of 24 states joining a lawsuit filed Friday against the Trump administration’s proposed rollback of California’s vehicle emissions standards.
California has long been granted a waiver by the federal government so it can set its own regulations for vehicle emissions at a level that’s stricter than the national standard. Some states, including Oregon, have adopted the California rules.
The Trump administration says it wants to revoke the exception that California – and by extension, Oregon – has. Automakers have long lobbied for a single nationwide emissions rule, which they say would make it more efficient to design and sell new cars and trucks.
In announcing her intention to join the lawsuit attempting to block the change, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said Trump is “protecting polluters and big oil over the wishes of states that choose to protect their environment."
"With basically the stroke of a pen, the federal administration just set back years of hard work on reducing carbon emissions," she said.
