Sept. 26, 2019—Minnesota and New Mexico are joining 10 other states in adopting California vehicle emissions rules, reported Reuters.
Minnesota and New Mexico would become the 11th and 12th states to adopt California’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate and the 14th and 15th states to adopt its tailpipe standards.
California’s vehicle emissions rules, more stringent than the Trump EPA’s rules, are currently followed by states that account for more than 40 percent of U.S. vehicle sales.
The U.S. Transportation Department said last week that federal law pre-empted state regulation of vehicle fuel economy, including California’s vehicle rules, while the Environmental Protection Agency said it was revoking a 2013 waiver California received to set emissions standards. Both changes do not take effect until November.