Supreme Court Decision Puts Biden’s Car Emissions Rules In Peril

On Friday, the United States Supreme Court released a 6-3 decision to overturn the notorious 1984 “Chevron deference” which has allowed the Biden Administration to aggressively tighten car tailpipe emissions standards. It now appears that the whole plan might be on the verge of exploding as the powers of federal regulators has been eroded. This is like music to our ears.

Street takeover in Los Angeles comes to a fiery conclusion.

The EPA has been using the Clean Air Act’s ambiguous language to put the clamps on automakers, especially under the current administration. The result has been V8s disappearing from many model lines, including trucks like the Ram 1500, replaced by smaller six- and four-cylinder engines coupled with forced induction and/or hybrid powertrains.

Some would argue this is a good thing. After all, everyone breathes the air and less pollution equals a better planet. While true, that can be pushed to an extreme, like proposing everyone live in caves so our impact on the earth is further minimized.

Two constitutional law attorneys spoke with Reuters recently about the new Supreme Court decision. They said that while it puts a number of federal regulations in peril, rules about passenger vehicle emissions might be some of the most vulnerable now.

Considering how incredibly aggressive the EPA has become towards aftermarket parts manufacturers, online stores, and repair/performance shops, sometimes raiding locations in full SWAT-style gear, this seems like a bit of karma.

What we find particularly irksome about the emissions standards being constantly tightened, other than that they make cars more complicated, more expensive, less durable, and less performance-oriented, is that the environmental impact of EVs seems to be completely ignored.

Instead, the EPA treats electric cars as golden children who can do no wrong. But the environmental impact of sourcing materials for the batteries alone, combined with the energy-intensive manufacturing process makes them hardly pollution-free. And in many areas the grid isn’t as clean as some have been lead to believe.

The EPA has been pretty clear about its objective to force many US consumers into buying electric vehicles. We feel that’s an abuse of power and completely inappropriate. It seems the Supreme Court concurs and it’s about time regulatory agencies like the EPA get checked after they’ve run roughshod over the economy and individual liberties.

Image via EPA/YouTube