Trump seeks to sue California over clean trucking effort

The Trump administration is seeking to sue California to halt the state from enforcing its effort to electrify its truck fleet.

The administration filed motions to join existing cases against the state over its rules seeking to reduce pollution and planet-warming emissions from trucks.

The moves come after the Trump administration axed California’s rules — but did so in a legally contested manner.

Now, the Trump administration and truckmakers are accusing the state of enforcing the now-overturned standards through its “Clean Truck Partnership” under which truck companies agreed to follow the state’s rules in exchange for some additional flexibility.

The California Air Resources Board, which is in charge of the truck rules, declined to comment.

At issue are California rules including the Advanced Clean Trucks rule, which would require a large percentage of trucks sold in the state to be electric by 2035.

In 2023, a group of truckmakers agreed to meet California’s standards in exchange for some concessions from the state in what became known as the Clean Truck Partnership.  

Under the Clean Air Act, California is required to get federal approval for its auto regulations. The Biden administration approved the state’s rule.

This year, however, Congress and President Trump approved a resolution using the Congressional Review Act to overturn the approval of the California rule.

The move occurred despite determinations from the Senate parliamentarian and the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan congressional watchdog, which said that it was not subject to the Congressional Review Act.

Now, the Trump administration is arguing in court that California has sought to enforce its rules through the Clean Truck Partnership, describing the state’s effort as a “a stunning act of defiance.”

Earlier this week, Daimler Truck North America, International Motors, Paccar and Volvo Group North America sued the Trump administration to try to axe the state’s rules and the partnership.