California has dropped its aggressive zero-emissions mandate for big rig fleets after a legal challenge from a free-market legal group led by former Attorney General William Barr. The decision marks a major win for trucking businesses and opponents of overreaching environmental regulation.
Key Facts:
- California agreed to repeal its Advanced Clean Fleet (ACF) emissions mandates for trucking fleets.
- The move follows a lawsuit from the American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce, whose legal team includes former AG William Barr.
- A federal judge approved a settlement requiring California to repeal the mandates by October 31 and not retroactively enforce them.
- California had applied for a Biden-era EPA waiver in 2023, but the mandates were implemented before receiving it.
- Critics argued the mandates would yield minimal environmental benefit while hurting the economy and trucking industry nationwide.
The Rest of The Story:
California’s withdrawal of its ACF regulations brings an end to a heated legal battle over the state’s attempt to impose strict emissions rules on commercial trucking.
The American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce sued on grounds that the state lacked federal authorization under the Clean Air Act.
California’s request for a waiver was still pending when it began enforcing the rules.
The settlement, approved by federal Judge Troy Nunley, ensures the mandates will not be enforced retroactively.
According to the agreement, California must formally repeal the rules in a public hearing before the end of October.
“This ruling is the final nail in the coffin of California’s crazy attempt to eliminate the traditional trucking sector,” said AmFree CEO Gentry Collins.
AmFree, supported by regional partners like the Alabama Trucking Association, framed the victory as a defense of free enterprise.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito also applauded the reversal, calling the mandates a threat to jobs and industries nationwide.
“The impact of California’s waiver would have been felt across the country, harming multiple sectors of our economy and costing hundreds of thousands of jobs in the process,” Moore Capito said.
Suing California and winning the day? Feels great. AmFree's legal challenge against CARB's ACF regulation led to a landmark agreement, ending the forced ZEV transition and preventing retroactive penalties. A clear win. More here: https://t.co/Wu0lqOHVY2
— American Free Enterprise (@AmfreeChamber) June 2, 2025
Commentary:
This is a smart and necessary course correction by California.
No single state—especially one with such an extreme green agenda—should have the power to dictate environmental and economic policy for the rest of the nation.
Trucking is an interstate business.
Attempting to unilaterally impose mandates like these without federal approval disrupts commerce across state lines.
By backing away from the ACF mandates, California avoids the economic fallout that would’ve hit small and mid-sized trucking firms the hardest.
These companies are already under pressure from rising fuel, maintenance, and regulatory costs.
Mandating a sudden shift to zero-emission vehicles—many of which aren’t yet reliable or affordable—would’ve driven some firms out of business.
Beyond the economics, this retreat also shows the limits of state-level policymaking when it conflicts with national priorities.
Under President Trump’s second term, these mandates were never going to stand.
California’s officials knew this.
That’s why they chose to fold rather than escalate the fight and face a likely loss at the federal level.
Attorney General Rob Bonta and CARB chief Steven Cliff had little choice.
They saw the writing on the wall.
The courts were unlikely to side with them, and their position lacked the necessary EPA waiver.
By withdrawing now, they save face and avoid a broader legal precedent that could weaken future state environmental regulations.
California’s move also reflects a growing awareness among officials that green mandates, when pushed too fast, do more harm than good.
Businesses and consumers alike are weary of being forced into expensive, unproven technologies.
This isn’t just about trucks.
It’s about setting limits on state overreach.
It’s a signal that America’s shift toward cleaner energy needs to be practical, not ideological.
The Bottom Line:
California’s decision to withdraw its big rig emissions mandates is a win for the rule of law, economic sanity, and federalism.
The trucking industry can now breathe easier, and states are reminded they can’t impose de facto national policies on their own.
This outcome also undercuts the radical environmental agenda pushed by coastal elites, giving room for market-driven innovation instead.
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