RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican leaders in Virginia said Friday they want to change the law so the state no longer follows California’s stringent rules for vehicle emissions.
Virginia had adopted legislation last year that involved adopting the West Coast state’s emissions standards. But Republicans in the House of Delegates, who opposed the legislation and now control that chamber, and GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Friday they would push to unlink Virginia’s standards.
“House Republicans will advance legislation in 2023 to put Virginians back in charge of Virginia’s auto emission standards and its vehicle marketplace. Virginia is not, and should not be, California,” House Speaker Todd Gilbert said in a statement.
Youngkin said he was “already at work to prevent this ridiculous edict from being forced on Virginians.”
My statement on untying Virginia from California’s EV rule: https://t.co/BWSQKSgN4V pic.twitter.com/MK3mNKPyBb
— Governor Glenn Youngkin (@GovernorVA) August 26, 2022
That comes after attorneys and state officials had weighed in this week saying Virginia is on a path toward adopting California’s new rules.
Those rules require all new cars, trucks and SUVs sold in the state to run on electricity or hydrogen by 2035.
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