California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) voted to repeal the zero‑emission purchasing rule for private fleets, effectively abandoning its mandate under the Advanced Clean Fleets program requiring 40‑75% of new medium and heavy trucks to be zero-emissions by 2035.
The reversal comes after the state failed to obtain an EPA waiver necessary to enforce stricter-than-federal emissions standards. The federal government intervened: the Department of Justice filed suit against California, arguing the mandate violated federal law and overstepped regulatory limits.
CARB conceded it cannot enforce the 2036 ban on internal combustion truck sales without congressional authorization or a Clean Air Act waiver. Meanwhile, California settled with several states, agreeing not to enforce key portions of the rule for “high priority” and drayage fleets.
This is a rare policy defeat for California’s environmental agenda. The rollback signals limits on state-level mandates when federal regulation or legal authority is lacking. Conservative critics will view this as a win for consumer choice and regulatory restraint.
