Trump's DOJ Enters Lawsuits Targeting CARB Truck Standards
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The Trump administration is maneuvering to intervene in a pair of cases that take aim at the California Air Resources Board’s efforts to set stringent heavy-truck emissions standards that depart from federal limits, accusing the state of “ongoing defiance” of recent reversals of federal mandates that previously afforded the state wide deference for establishing its own rules.
“California is defying federal law by attempting to enforce pre-empted California vehicle and engine emissions standards through its so-called ‘Clean Truck Partnership,’ which the California Air Resources Board uses to enforce three sets of stringent emissions standards,” the U.S. Department of Justice argued in an Aug. 13 legal motion.
It pointed specifically to three CARB regulatory frameworks as core to its argument; Advanced Clean Trucks, Omnibus Low NOx and Advanced Clean Fleets. CARB has already abandoned the Advanced Clean Fleets framework, which had aimed to set strict equipment mandates on motor carriers that operate in the state.
The DOJ’s 17-page motion filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois is rife with complicated language that centers on ongoing legal actions against CARB.
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Specifically, DOJ is seeking to intervene as a vested stakeholder in a case representing both the U.S. and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as plaintiffs against Steven Cliff in his capacity as executive officer of CARB. The original case was brought by the American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce in a coalition against Engine Manufacturers Association and Cliff as a CARB executive.
“Individually or collectively, these emission standards impose a nationwide ban on internal combustion engines in heavy-duty trucks by 2036,” DOJ stated. “The decision whether to ban internal combustion engines in heavy-duty trucks rests ultimately with the federal government. And it has declined to take such a radical step.”
The motion notes that Trump in June 2025 signed into law congressional joint resolutions of disapproval providing that EPA pre-emption waivers for the Omnibus and ACT rules “have no force or effect.”
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DOJ said, “These rules, along with the ACF rule for which EPA had never issued a waiver, are now pre-empted under the express prohibition in the Clean Air Act that bars any state from attempting to enforce its own emissions standards.”
Despite this, the agency asserts that CARB and Cliff continue to demand industry compliance with its more stringent standards.
“A congressional committee was just made aware that CARB staff (who are all supervised by defendant Cliff) ‘is denying auto manufacturers approval to bring vehicles to market unless the manufacturers agree to comply with the pre-empted regulations.’ This ongoing defiance of federal law must stop,” it said.
In a second motion filed Aug 14 in the U.S. District Court’s Eastern District of California, the DOJ seeks to intervene with the U.S. government and EPA in a case brought by Daimler Truck North America, International Motors, Paccar Inc. and Volvo Group North America against CARB, Cliff and Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The motion also found fault with California and CARB for its ACT, Omnibus and Advanced Clean Fleets rules.
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“Although they have no valid waiver for these three regulations, the California defendants attempt to enforce them through the Clean Truck Partnership,” DOJ said. “In July 2023, CARB adopted the Clean Truck Partnership, which gives certain truck manufacturers compliance flexibility under the pre-empted regulations but otherwise compels them to comply with the Omnibus and ACT rules. It also forces them to sell only zero-emission vehicles starting in 2035, which is consistent with the ACF rule. It is, in essence, a regulatory order that responds to industry concerns but still imposes compliance requirements, regardless of whether CARB’s regulations are legal.”
American Trucking Associations praised the administration's efforts to intervene.
"ATA applauds the Department of Justice’s engagement in the heavy-duty truck manufacturer’s legal challenge to California’s regulatory overreach," said Patrick Kelly, ATA’s vice president of energy and environmental affairs. "California has not only ignored Congress’ unambiguous Joint Resolutions of Disapproval that blocked implementation of the state’s disastrous electric vehicle mandates and emissions rules, but is also attempting to use an unenforceable agreement to impose its infeasible EV adoption goals. We are encouraged that truck manufacturers have recognized the needs of their trucking industry partners and we look forward to working together to promote national standards that increase the efficiency and sustainability of heavy-duty trucking."
In a said, “President Trump and members of Congress deserve tremendous credit for putting California’s EV mandates on the trash heap where they belong. If allowed to move forward, these onerous regulations would have been catastrophic for the U.S. economy. Electric vehicles are more expensive, unfeasible and threaten the automotive industry, workers and the millions of ordinary Americans who depend on cars and trucks with internal combustion engines every day. Just because Gov. Newsom doesn’t like the outcome doesn’t mean he can weaponize the courts to subvert the will of elected representatives who answer to voters.”
