SELC Statement on Protecting Virginia’s Clean Cars Standards

Richmond, Va. — Today members of the General Assembly again rejected a bill backed by Governor Glenn Youngkin that would repeal Virginia’s Clean Cars Standards.

Virginia’s legislature voted to adopt the Clean Cars Standards in 2021. Starting with model year 2025, auto manufacturers will be required to provide cleaner gas-powered vehicles, as well as an increasing number of zero-emission vehicles—generally electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that still have internal-combustion engines—for sale in the state.

States can either follow federal tailpipe pollution standards or adopt the more protective standards California is authorized to adopt under the Clean Air Act. Virginia cannot create its own standards.

In response to today’s vote allowing the Clean Cars Standards to move forward, Trip Pollard, leader of SELC’s Land & Community Program, released the following statement:  

“The seven bills introduced this session to repeal the Clean Cars Standards have now all been defeated. We applaud the legislators who recognize the key role these standards play in curbing Virginia’s largest source of carbon pollution. Clean air should not be a partisan issue. We will all enjoy the health and environmental benefits these standards will bring.”