The Biden administration is trying to reduce pollution from car tailpipes, which contributes a lot to global warming. But some states led by Republicans are challenging these efforts in court.
The Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., will hear arguments about three cases this week. These cases are about rules the Biden administration made to limit pollution from cars and trucks. Transportation makes a lot of greenhouse gases, which cause global warming. These cases might even go to the Supreme Court.
Republicans say they’re challenging these rules to stop the government from having too much power. But environmental groups and the Biden administration say that if the court rules against them, it could be bad for protecting people from pollution that causes climate change.
One case is about a rule from 2021 that made pollution limits for car tailpipes stronger. Another is about letting California have its own rules for car tailpipe pollution. California’s rules are tougher than the national ones because the state has a lot of air pollution. The third case is about how far cars need to go on a gallon of gas.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is leading the group that’s against the pollution limits. He says President Biden is making it harder for states like Texas, which produce a lot of oil and gas.
Another state, Ohio, is challenging California’s rules. They say it’s not fair for California to have its own rules.
But environmental groups say the rules are important. They say the lawsuits are just a way for the oil industry and Republican states to stop the government from making rules that help the environment.
The Biden administration is also trying to get more electric cars on the road to fight climate change. They passed laws to give people incentives to buy electric cars and to build more charging stations. Right now, only a small percentage of cars sold are electric, but that’s expected to change soon. Many big car companies are promising to stop selling gas cars in the next few years.
Even though the new rules might be tough for car companies, they say they’re committed to reducing pollution and helping the environment.
The Justice Department says the new pollution rules are legal. They say the EPA has the right to make these rules to protect the environment. They also say that Ohio and other states don’t have a good reason to challenge California’s rules.
