Key facts
- The Trump administration appealed a ruling that blocked the EPA from sending California's vehicle emissions rules to Congress.
The Trump administration is appealing a federal court ruling that prevented the Environmental Protection Agency from sending California's vehicle emissions rules to Congress for a potential repeal. A judge found the EPA acted improperly in June by submitting the waivers.
The appeal concerns the authority of states to set their own vehicle emissions standards, a critical issue for environmental policy and the automotive industry, with potential implications for federal-state regulatory power.
The Trump administration has appealed a federal court ruling that prevented the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from submitting California's vehicle emissions rules to Congress for a potential repeal. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled on September 2 that the EPA had acted improperly in June when it sent four waivers to Congress. These waivers included stricter emissions standards for cars, trucks, and lawn-and-garden equipment. The judge ordered the EPA to take necessary steps to restore the status quo that existed before the EPA's June 12, 2026 press release concerning these waivers. The additional source material indicates that the court denied motions to dismiss filed by the EPA and intervenors American Petroleum Institute and American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, and granted California's motion for a preliminary injunction.