Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is leading a coalition of eight state attorneys general, including New Hampshire’s John Formella, in filing a court brief supporting Ohio’s lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency over California’s electric vehicle mandates. California’s mandate, passed in August 2022 by the California Air Resources Board, requires all new cars and vehicles sold in the state to be electric by 2035. The goal of the mandate is to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Bird and her colleagues allege that the EPA violated the states’ equal sovereignty rights by allowing California to pursue its own regulatory standards while preventing other states from doing so. Bird stated in a press release that California’s electric vehicle mandate will increase costs for consumers in other states and limit options for new cars. She expressed concern that American families will be forced to pay the price for California’s green car mandates, as they will be mandated to buy more expensive electric cars at a time when many are already struggling financially.
In addition to New Hampshire’s Formella, Bird is joined by Republican attorneys general from Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming in supporting Ohio’s lawsuit. The amicus brief filed by the coalition argues that California’s extreme market influence is forcing the automotive industry nationwide to change in order to comply with California regulations. This, in turn, leads to added expenses for manufacturers, which are then passed down to consumers in other states.
This is not the first time Bird has taken a stand against California’s electric vehicle rules. In May, she joined a lawsuit challenging a California regulation that would have banned internal combustion engines in medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2045 and the sale of larger diesel vehicles by 2036. Bird’s consistent opposition to California’s regulations highlights her commitment to protecting the rights and interests of her state and its residents.
The full brief supporting Ohio’s lawsuit against the EPA over California’s electric vehicle mandates can be accessed for further reading. This story was originally published by Iowa Capital Dispatch and is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and donors as a 501c(3) public charity. The collaboration between state attorneys general in challenging California’s regulatory framework demonstrates the importance of upholding states’ rights and ensuring fair and equitable policies for all Americans.