Climate Changed

States Sue U.S. to Save Obama-Era Car-Efficiency Rules

  • California, N.Y. say final rule improperly penalizes carmakers
  • Administration seeks to make penalties meaningless, states say
Morning traffic fills the SR2 freeway in Los Angeles, California.David McNew/Getty Images
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A dozen states led by California and New York sued the Trump administration over its plan to roll back auto-industry regulations put in place by former President Barack Obama to improve fuel-efficiency.

A final rule issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration violates federal law because it doesn’t properly penalize automakers when they fail to meet U.S. fuel-efficiency standards, the states said in a lawsuit filed Friday in federal appeals court in Manhattan.