Vermont Governor Backs Out of California’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Plan

Three Key Takeaways:

Governor Gavin Newsom faced a setback when Vermont became the latest state to withdraw from California’s vehicle emissions program.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott issued an executive order halting his state’s participation in California’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulation.

The move represents another challenge to California’s ambitious plan requiring all new passenger vehicles sold in the state to be zero-emission by 2035.

Vermont bails on California’s scheme to ban gas-powered cars

California is the tip of the spear for the Democrats’ plan to make gas-powered cars illegal and force drivers into electric vehicles.

The state was allowed to get a waiver under the 1970 Clean Air Act to issue vehicle emission standards that are stricter than the federal government’s.

California’s 2022 Advanced Clean Cars II regulation required that all passenger vehicles sold in the state have zero emissions by 2035.

The rule allowed the state to create its own electric vehicle mandate.

California Governor Gavin Newsom praised the regulation for boosting the electric vehicle industry.

His goal is to make the state zero emissions by 2045.

Other states were allowed to adopt California’s emission standards and ban the use of gas-powered vehicles by 2035.

Former President Joe Biden granted a waiver to protect California’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulation in December.

Democrats were gung-ho about the future of electric vehicles under the Biden administration.

Vermont became the latest state to back out of the Advanced Clean Cars II regulation.

RINO Vermont Governor Phil Scott issued an executive order halting his state’s participation.

He admitted that electric vehicles weren’t being adopted fast enough to make the plan feasible.

“We have to be realistic about a pace that’s achievable,” Scott said about electric vehicle adoption. “It’s clear we don’t have anywhere near enough charging infrastructure and insufficient technological advances in heavy-duty vehicles to meet current goals. We have much more work to do, in order make it more convenient, faster, and more affordable to buy, maintain and charge EV’s.”

Vermont, one of the most left-wing states in the country, realized that forcing drivers into electric vehicles is a pipe dream.

The plug is getting pulled on Gavin Newsom’s dream of an electric future

California is the biggest auto market in the country.

An electric vehicle mandate in the state would affect consumers across the country as automakers produce fewer gas-powered cars.

Newsom is trying a backdoor attempt to force the auto industry to go electric.

Congressional Republicans are looking to put an end to this scheme.

The House passed a bill using the Congressional Review Act to overturn the waiver for California’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulation.

A vote under the Congressional Review Act only needs a simple majority in the Senate and can’t be filibustered.

Alliance for Automotive Innovation CEO John Bozzella noted that blue states are backing out of California’s electric vehicle mandate.

“Governor Scott did the right thing by standing up for Vermont’s drivers and protecting vehicle choice with his order delaying the state’s unachievable gas vehicle ban,” Bozzella said. “Governors in Connecticut, Minnesota, and Maine—that were part of an earlier California EV sales requirement but declined to join the ACC II program—and recently governors in Virginia and Maryland also opted out of these wildly unachievable EV mandates too. Why? Not enough customers and insufficient charging for these unachievable EV sales requirements.”

Gavin Newsom’s electric vehicle scheme is going to have the plug pulled on it.