A person charging an electric vehicle.

States ramp up electric vehicle incentives as Trump revokes California emissions authority

Seventeen states are scrambling to preserve their clean vehicle goals after the Trump administration rescinded California’s power to set stricter tailpipe emissions rules.

Rambo Talabong reports for Inside Climate News.


In short:

  • California and allied states sued the Trump administration over its rollback of the state's Clean Air Act waiver, which allowed stronger vehicle emissions standards and an electric vehicle sales mandate.
  • States are expanding EV rebates, building charging infrastructure, and passing clean fuel rules to offset the loss of federal support and regulatory authority.
  • Policies targeting truck-heavy areas and pollution-intensive facilities are gaining traction, especially in states with high air pollution and warehouse growth.

Key quote:

“The federal government isn’t going to come save us.”

— Alex Ambrose, analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective

Why this matters:

Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, and tailpipe pollution directly harms public health — especially in communities near highways, ports, and freight hubs. California’s emissions authority under the Clean Air Act had long been a keystone in U.S. climate and air quality policy, with nearly 20 states adopting its tougher rules. Without federal backing, these states now face steep costs and legal uncertainty as they try to maintain momentum toward cleaner vehicles. Meanwhile, the burden of diesel pollution continues to fall heavily on low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. If states cannot enforce aggressive vehicle standards or fund sufficient EV transitions, the U.S. risks backsliding on climate targets and increasing health disparities tied to air pollution.

Read more: Republicans push to eliminate fines for carmakers that violate fuel economy rules

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Disaster aid cuts raise fears of post-Katrina failures as hurricane risks grow

A generation after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, survivors and experts warn that sweeping cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under President Trump could leave the U.S. dangerously unprepared for future climate-driven disasters.

Dharna Noor reports for The Guardian.

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New Orleans children carry Hurricane Katrina’s trauma into adulthood

Two decades after Hurricane Katrina, adults who experienced the storm as children continue to struggle with emotional scars and a fractured sense of home, as climate threats to New Orleans persist.

Kathleen Schuster reports for Deutsche Welle.

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Local emergency alert systems often go unused, with deadly results

As extreme weather and climate-driven disasters intensify, many local officials fail to send lifesaving warnings through a federal emergency alert system designed to quickly reach people in harm’s way.

Jennifer Berry Hawes reports for ProPublica.

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Democrats target Trump’s energy law as driver of rising electricity bills

Democrats are blaming Republican-backed rollbacks of clean energy programs for rising electricity costs as they craft a midterm campaign strategy around energy prices.

Nico Portuondo reports for E&E News.

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Oil and gas firms press Carney to scale back climate rules as Canada weighs emissions plan update

Oil and gas companies have lobbied Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government to roll back key Trudeau-era climate policies ahead of an expected update to Canada’s Emissions Reduction Plan.

Carl Meyer reports for The Narwhal.

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Man in safety vest and hard hat walking between solar panels.

U.S. tariffs hit Indian solar exports as domestic market faces pressure to absorb surplus

The Trump administration’s 50% tariff on Indian imports has sharply reduced the U.S. market for Indian solar panels, threatening the growth of India's expanding clean energy manufacturing sector.

Somini Sengupta reports for The New York Times.

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Koch-funded campaign ramps up fight against Vermont’s clean energy laws

A national conservative group backed by oil money is spending heavily to weaken Vermont’s climate policies, challenging the state’s efforts to curb fossil fuel use.

Austyn Gaffney reports for Grist in partnership with VTDigger.

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