What happens when an entire state hates the President of the United States? Well, it defies him every chance they get, and in this case, they gave Trump the proverbial middle finger by approving vehicle emission regulations for 2022 to 2025 that the Trump admiration says needs further review. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) reviewed their own rules (and the work of independent analysts, apparently) and found that it’s vehicles standards are achievable and cost-effective. Meanwhile, the Trump administration looks to possibly relax emissions regulations at the federal level, with EPA Boss Scott Pruitt, saying that the 2025 emissions rules merits review.

But, that didn’t stop California and CARB from going ahead and pushing its regulations through anyway. The standards set in place would require a fuel economy as high as 46.3 mpg in 2025. The stricter pollution controls are expected, by the U.S. and California, to increase the cost of each car sold in 2025 by about $1,000. But, the Trump Administration is more worried about protecting jobs and providing consumers with affordable cars. Meanwhile, CARB board member Daniel Sperling has said that “If anything, these standards should be more aggressive.”

In the end, it’s the beginning of a battle that’s going to last at least as long as Trump is in office. The federal government can challenge California’s ability to make rules about greenhouse gasses and fuel economy, but that will only stir the pot and make things worse.

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California is a Tough, Liberal State

You’ve got to hand it to California for being willing to stand up for what it believes in against the federal government, but I’m not so sure it’s doing it in the right way. California has the toughest standards in the country as far as emissions and economy regulations go, with a handful of other states borrowing most or at least some of its rules. Those of you who have bought a car that was originally built for California probably know this all too well as there are a few extra emissions parts here and there. But, instead of giving the Trump administration and automakers the time to review the 2022 to 2025 regulations, California approved them anyway.

An anonymous person within the Trump administration told Reuters: “We are disappointed that California has chosen to refuse our good-faith offer to work together with all relevant stakeholders on this important matter.”

And, while we don’t know for sure what kind of back and forth California and the Trump administration has had regarding these regulations, it seems like approving the regulations anyway could lead to even more clashing between the two. For now, we just have to stand back and watch as things unfold, but it’s pretty clear that California isn’t going to back down from this fight. Regardless of what side you find yourself standing on, it should make for an interesting show.

What do you think? Are relaxed emissions standards worth the risk of increased air pollution, or should the EPA give into California and CARB, ultimately leading the way to stricter standards on a federal level? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.