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3mo ago

Supreme Court Grants Fuel Producers Right to Sue Over California Emissions

The ruling comes after President Trump revoked California’s electric vehicle mandate, enabling fuel producers to challenge state and federal climate policies.

Supreme Court Associate Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson wears a collar and matching earrings made from cowrie shells during the inauguration ceremonies in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
California, where heavy traffic like the kind experienced by morning commuters on Interstate 80 in Berkeley is common, has tighter limits on auto emissions than the national standard.
A person walks past the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 21, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
The U.S. Supreme Court building is seen in the rain in Washington, U.S., October 2, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File photo

Overview

  • The court’s 7-2 majority, led by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, held that fuel producers have Article III standing to challenge the EPA’s approval of California’s vehicle emissions waiver.
  • The decision revives a lawsuit by Valero’s Diamond Alternative Energy and industry groups over the EPA’s 2022 reinstatement of California’s stricter tailpipe and zero-emission vehicle standards.
  • The case returns to a lower court; President Trump’s repeal of California’s electric vehicle mandate could render the challenge moot.
  • Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warned in dissent that easing standing requirements for industry may reinforce perceptions of judicial favoritism toward corporate interests.
  • California’s Clean Air Act waiver has enabled 17 other states to adopt its tougher vehicle rules, a central pillar of regional climate strategies now facing fresh legal attacks.