Governor Glenn Youngkin of Virginia said on Wednesday that the state will not follow California’s strict rules about vehicle emissions anymore. These rules are meant to reduce pollution from cars and trucks. The decision comes after an opinion from Virginia’s Attorney General.
Attorney General Jason Miyares said on Tuesday that Virginia doesn’t have to follow new rules from the California Air Resources Board. These rules were set to start in January.
Governor Youngkin, who is a Republican, believes that people in Virginia should decide which cars to buy. He thinks it’s wrong for the government to tell them what to do. He said, “Once again, Virginia is declaring independence — this time from a misguided electric vehicle mandate imposed by unelected leaders nearly 3,000 miles away from the Commonwealth.”
Some Democrats and environmental groups disagreed with the decision. Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell compared Youngkin’s power to that of Vladimir Putin. He thinks the governor is breaking the law.
The Southern Environmental Law Center called the decision illegal and bad for the environment. They said that following California’s standards would help make cars cleaner and healthier for Virginians.
But Attorney General Miyares thinks differently. He said that California’s rules are not practical for Virginia. He believes that people in Virginia should be able to choose which cars to buy.
Now, Virginia plans to follow the federal government’s rules on vehicle emissions. This means that the state won’t be following California’s rules anymore. Virginia’s “clean cars” law, which was passed in 2021, aimed to make a certain percentage of new cars electric or hybrid by 2024. However, Governor Youngkin’s decision changes that plan.
