Federal judge halts EPA's attempt to overturn California clean-air waivers

In a preliminary ruling, Senior U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell granted California a temporary injunction that blocks the EPA from altering four preemption waivers under the Clean Air Act. The judge also denied the agency’s request to dismiss the lawsuit, requiring the EPA to keep the waivers in place until further review. These waivers allow California to enforce stricter emissions standards than federal rules.

The EPA had attempted to reclassify the waivers as regulations, enabling a fast-track repeal via the Congressional Review Act, a strategy the court found improper. Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All director Katherine García said the decision protects public health and vehicle-technology innovation. The ruling signals a legal setback for the Trump administration’s effort to limit state climate authority.