Judge blocks EPA’s bid to reclassify California’s emissions waivers as rules

A federal judge blocked the EPA from challenging California’s longstanding authority to set vehicle pollution standards stricter than federal requirements by recategorizing its waivers as rules subject to the Congressional Review Act. The preliminary injunction, granted by Judge Beryl Howell, restores the pre-reclassification status and orders the EPA to leave California’s waivers as they were before the June move. California officials, led by Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom, argued that waivers are adjudicatory orders, not general rules, and should not go to Congress for review. The cases underscore a decades-long framework in which California’s stricter standards influence nationwide emissions policy, even as the Trump administration has sought to relax those waivers. The disputes also highlight tensions over federal authority to regulate air pollution and the integrity of reporting to Congress under the CRA. The outcome could shape the balance between state-level environmental leadership and federal regulatory powers under current administration policies, including President Trump’s oversight.