Senate votes to revoke California's EV emissions waivers

The Senate on Thursday voted to revoke three vehicle emissions waivers in California, a controversial move that the chamber's parliamentarian says Republican lawmakers may not have the right to make.

The vote was 51-44, with Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan joining Republicans in voting in favor of revoking the waivers.

Ahead of the vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, called it "the nuclear option." 

The three waivers the Senate revoked set stricter vehicle emissions standards than federal regulations. Two waivers relate to reducing tailpipe emissions from medium and heavy-duty vehicles, as well as limiting smog pollution from trucks. 

The last is what's frequently called California's "EV mandate," a rule that aims to phase-out gas powered cars and require all new vehicle sales in California be zero emissions by 2035. The rule to phase out gas powered vehicles goes into effect in 2026.

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