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New York sues Trump over vehicle emissions rollback
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Mar 19, 2026
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By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Mar 19, 2026
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New York state is challenging President Donald Trump’s rollbacks of federal climate science policies.
In a petition filed Thursday, New York Attorney General Letitia James sued the Trump administration over its revocation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2009 endangerment finding, the foundation of the country’s climate change policies. It includes the fuel efficiency standard for vehicles, which limits how much pollution a vehicle can emit.
New York is part of a coalition with 36 other local governments in the lawsuit, including New Jersey and the District of Columbia.
“The American people need their leaders to be honest and pragmatic about the threat of the climate crisis. We will not let the federal government abandon its responsibility to the people,” James wrote in a statement.
The petition, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, argues the repeal “contradicts overwhelming scientific evidence of the continued threat posed by climate change.”
According to a Columbia University report, nearly 100% of climate scientists agree that climate change is happening right now.
James also argues the repeal goes against the EPA’s duty under the federal Clean Air Act.
Nearly half of states, including New York, opposed the initial proposal to rescind federal climate policies. Despite the overwhelming objections, the EPA finalized the reversal of its climate policies last month.
Along with the reversal, the federal government repealed all greenhouse gas emissions standards for motor vehicles, nullifying the legal justification for emissions regulations. Essentially, the move allows manufacturers to build cars that have no pollution limits.
“It removes a lot of the rules and barriers that were put in place to try to cut greenhouse gas emissions. So it could have a devastating effect,” said Arthur Wheaton, director of labor studies at Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
Under the strictest federal vehicle standards that were to go into effect this year, a passenger vehicle’s carbon emissions per mile are equal in weight to one cup of sugar pumped into the atmosphere.
Many of New York’s climate goals laid out in a 2019 law are dependent on the state's ability to regulate vehicle emissions. Transportation makes up roughly one-third of the state’s climate pollution. The state mandates all new vehicles to be emissions-free by 2035.
Gov. Kathy Hochul is currently asking state lawmakers to push back the timeline set by the law. She said she needs more time to implement its provisions in a way that isn’t costly to New Yorkers.
Tagged
Health and Science
Politics
donald trump
letitia james
new york state
Rosemary Misdary
Rosemary is health & science reporter. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 646-544-9524.
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