Lee Zeldin Found a Way to Skip the Courts and Kill California’s Climate Rules Anyway

In a move poised to dramatically reshape US climate policy and ignite fresh legal battles, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin on Thursday transmitted four of California's critical Clean Air Act waivers to Congress for repeal under the Congressional Review Act. This aggressive action marks the Trump administration latest escalation in its multi-pronged effort to dismantle the half-century-old federal-state climate compact governing vehicle emissions, directly challenging California's long-standing authority to set stricter pollution standards. The waivers cover key regulations, including California's Advanced Clean Cars I (ACC I) and standards for small off-road engines, which have been instrumental in driving the nation towards cleaner vehicles and electrification. The EPA justification centers on the controversial interpretation that these waivers constitute 'rules' subject to CRA review, a legal position widely disputed by environmental groups and even the Government Accountability Office in prior instances. This follows a similar play in June 2025, when President Trump successfully used the CRA to revoke three other California waivers, prompting a lawsuit by California and ten allied states that is still pending. The current maneuver risks effectively eliminating federal and state tailpipe greenhouse gas limits, freeing automakers from compliance with California's rules, which are currently adopted by 13 other states and the District of Columbia, thus impacting over a third of the US auto market and potentially increasing air pollution nationwide. This also aligns with the Trump administration broader agenda, including the recent repeal of the Endangerment Finding and federal tailpipe emissions standards in February 2026. Legal experts anticipate immediate and intense pushback, with California's Air Resources Board already vowing to fight what it deems 'illegal and unconstitutional actions'. The ongoing lawsuit from last year's CRA revocations provides a clear precedent for the impending legal challenges. Congress now has 60 legislative days to act on Zeldin's submission, though Republican efforts are underway to legislatively codify these rollbacks to prevent future reversals. The outcome will not only determine the future of vehicle emissions in the US but also test the limits of executive power and states' environmental autonomy, setting a precedent for environmental governance for years to come.