By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Senate Republicans cannot use a fast-track procedure to overturn landmark rules to drastically reduce vehicle tailpipe emissions and boost EV sales as part of a tax and budget bill, the Senate parliamentarian ruled on Friday.
Republicans and President Donald Trump have taken aim at EVs on a number of fronts, a u-turn from former President Joe Biden’s policy that encouraged EVs and renewable energy to fight climate change and reduce emissions.
The Environmental Protection Agency under Biden in 2024 set stringent vehicle emissions rules that aim to cut fleetwide tailpipe emissions for cars and light trucks by nearly 50% over 2026 levels in 2032 and drastically increase new electric vehicles.
The EPA forecast last year that between 35% and 56% of new vehicles sold between 2030 and 2032 would be electric to meet tough vehicle pollution rules.
Senate Republicans also want to reverse the EPA rule’s new emissions limits for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles like delivery trucks, garbage trucks, public utility trucks, school buses and tractor-trailers.
The Senate parliamentarian ruled rolling back the EPA rules would need 60 votes to pass in the 100-seat chamber, rather than the simple majority other elements of the tax and spending package would need under a complex budget process Republicans are invoking to bypass Democratic opposition.
The regulation was among the most significant environmental rules implemented under Biden, who made tackling climate change a key pillar of his presidency.
Senate Republicans on Monday proposed ending the $7,500 tax credit on new EV sales six months after the tax and budget bill measure is signed into law and quickly phasing out out used EV credits.
Republicans have also proposed eliminating fines for failing to meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy rules, which would effectively end a 50-year-old program that requires automakers to build more efficient vehicles.
Trump last week signed a resolution approved by Congress to bar California’s landmark plan to end the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035, which has been adopted by 11 other states representing a third of the U.S. auto market.
Trump also signed resolutions to reverse new heavy duty vehicle emissions limits. General Motors, Toyota and other automakers have lobbied Congress to rollback emissions rules.
(Reporting by David ShepardsonEditing by Alexandra Hudson)
