Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is taking a stand against California’s electric vehicle mandates, leading a coalition of eight state attorneys general in supporting Ohio’s lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The lawsuit challenges California’s mandate that all new cars and vehicles sold in the state must be electric by 2035. This mandate, passed by the California Air Resources Board in August 2022, aims to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Bird and her colleagues argue that the EPA violated the states‘ equal sovereignty rights by allowing California to set its own regulatory standards while preventing other states from doing the same. They believe that California’s electric vehicle mandate will not only increase costs for consumers in other states but also limit their options for new cars.
In a press release, Bird expressed her concerns, stating, „I will not stand by as American families are forced to pay the price for California’s green car mandates. California and the Biden-Harris EPA are eliminating purchasing options for families across the country and mandating they buy more expensive electric cars at a time when they are already struggling to make ends meet. The law is clear; California does not have the power to mandate the cars Iowans drive.“
Bird is joined in this effort by Republican attorneys general from Idaho, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming. Together, they filed an amicus brief supporting Ohio’s lawsuit, arguing that California’s influence on the automotive industry nationwide is excessive and unfair.
The brief highlights that California’s regulations go beyond current market demand for electric vehicles, forcing manufacturers to invest more resources to comply. These added expenses are then passed down to consumers in other states, including those represented by the attorneys general in the coalition. Furthermore, the brief points out that while California imposes stringent regulations, other states are prohibited from adopting their own standards, creating an unequal playing field.
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 aimed to ban internal combustion engines in medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2045 and the sale of larger diesel vehicles by 2036.
The full brief filed by Bird and the coalition of attorneys general can be accessed for further details. Iowa Capital Dispatch, where this information was sourced, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and donors. The editorial independence of Iowa Capital Dispatch is maintained, and for any inquiries, Editor Kathie Obradovich can be contacted.
In conclusion, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird’s leadership in challenging California’s electric vehicle mandates highlights the ongoing debate over states‘ rights and regulatory standards. The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for the automotive industry and consumers nationwide.