Trump administration aims to block California on fuel economy targets

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is speeding toward allout war with California over fuel economy rules for cars and SUVs, proposing to revoke the state’s longstanding authority to enforce its own, tough rules on tailpipe emissions.

The move forms a key part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s fuel economy proposal, which the agency plans to submit to the White House for review within days.

The EPA plan would freeze fuel economy targets at the levels required for vehicles sold in 2020, and leave those targets in place through 2026, according to federal officials who have reviewed the plan.

That would mark a dramatic retreat from the existing law, which aimed to get the nation’s fleet of cars and light trucks to an average fuel economy of 55 miles per gallon by 2025.

The EPA plan remains a draft, and White House officials could decide to back away from a direct fight with California and like-minded states.

EPA spokeswoman Liz Bowman declined to comment on the details of the draft plan, which the agency is writing together with the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency.

"The Agency is continuing to work with NHTSA to develop a joint proposed rule and is looking forward to the interagency process,” she wrote in an email.

Environmental groups and California officials already have vowed to fight the administration in court. But if the EPA plan prevails, it would be a crippling blow to efforts in California and other states to meet aggressive goals for climate action as well as for cleaning their air.

Under federal law, California has long been allowed to set tougher tailpipe emission rules than the federal government. Other states are allowed to adopt California’s standards, and a dozen states currently do. Those states account for more than a third of cars and trucks in the country.