California could ride the wind: state rules gain lift as federal climate mandates recede

The EPA’s repeal of the Obama-era endangerment finding weakens federal authority to regulate vehicle greenhouse-gas emissions, potentially allowing automakers to ignore GHG rules. That shift could empower California to pursue its stricter tailpipe standards and encourage other states to follow suit, risking a patchwork of rules nationwide. Legal questions loom about state versus federal power, with a conservative Supreme Court backdrop and California lawmakers signaling possible go-it-alone options, all at a time when transportation makes up a large share of California’s emissions.