A House Republican from Colorado is asking congressional spending leaders to force California to repeal its stringent vehicle emissions standards in exchange for federal disaster assistance for recent wildfires around Los Angeles.
Rep. Jeff Crank, a freshman who sits on the House Natural Resources Committee, led a letter Monday to the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Appropriations committees urging them to condition future disaster aid for California.
The request echoes recent suggestions from President Donald Trump and House Republican leaders and is the latest chapter in the GOP’s efforts to roll back the Golden State’s pro-electric vehicle policies.
Specifically, Crank and the three other Republicans who signed onto the letter are calling for appropriators to “include provisions repealing” Clean Air Act waivers from EPA that allow California to set tougher air quality standards. They say California has used those waivers “to prioritize harmful climate policies over responsible wildfire management.”