EPA grants California permission to ban new gas car sales by 2035

The Biden administration has officially given California the green light to ban new gas car sales in the state by 2035. This move comes as part of California’s strict emissions standard aimed at phasing out gas cars and pushing the auto industry towards green energy solutions. In order to enforce this mandate, officials needed to obtain a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act.

On Wednesday, the EPA announced that they would be approving two waivers for California. The first waiver allows California to mandate that 35% of new cars and light-duty trucks sales be zero emissions by 2026, with a goal of achieving 90% below current emissions by 2027. The second waiver is even more ambitious, requiring all new car sales in the state to be zero-emission within the decade, making it the most stringent EV mandate in the country.

However, there is concern that these waivers could be revoked by President-elect Donald Trump, who is reportedly planning to rescind federal EV requirements and any waivers issued for California by the Biden administration. Incoming Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed criticism of the move, calling it “insane” and “job-killing.”

EPA Administrator Michael Regan defended the waivers, stating that they will protect California residents from dangerous air pollution caused by mobile sources like cars and trucks. Despite this, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers CEO and President Chet Thompson deemed the mandate as “unlawful” and harmful to consumers, raising concerns about limiting their options for purchasing new gas vehicles and increasing vehicle and transportation costs.

The approval of these waivers marks one of President Biden’s final acts in pushing the auto industry towards cleaner energy solutions. It remains to be seen how the incoming administration will handle these mandates and whether they will continue to prioritize environmental policies moving forward.

Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.