Virginia governor says state will abandon California emissions standards by the end of the year

By DENISE LAVOIE and SARAH BRUMFIELD
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Gov. Glenn Youngkin says Virginia will abandon California’s stringent vehicle emissions rules aimed at reducing carbon pollution at the end of the year when that state’s current regulations expire. Youngkin made the announcement Wednesday citing an opinion from Attorney General Jason Miyares that states that Virginia isn’t required to comply with new mandates when they take effect on Jan. 1. Miyares says the opinion confirms that Virginians are no longer required to follow California’s standards. Virginia’s “clean cars” law was initially adopted in 2021, when the state government was under full Democratic control. It required that starting this year, a certain percentage of new passenger vehicles sold by manufacturers be electric or hybrid electric.