MCGA concerned about impact in MN from California new cars decision
Today, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) voted to approve new rules governing vehicle emissions that effectively result in banning the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles beginning in 2035, requiring all new cars sold in the state to meet a Zero Emission Vehicle standard.
The National Corn Growers Association and ethanol trade associations submitted public comments documenting the clean air, climate, and economic benefits of increasing ethanol blends in passenger vehicles, which can have immediate and long-term benefits. Despite that, CARB is moving ahead with an electric vehicle transportation mandate and missing an opportunity for more innovation and to broaden low- and zero-emission solutions, in addition to electric vehicles.
Federal law allows other states to either follow federal clean air standards or adopt California’s stringent standards. When California adopts significant changes to its standards, most states that follow California’s standards must decide to continue to follow the California standards or to follow federal standards.
Minnesota adopted California’s vehicle emissions standards in 2021 after undergoing a state-level rulemaking initiated by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) as a part of their Clean Cars program initiative. In comments at that time to the MN Senate Environment Finance and Environment Policy committees, the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) clearly outlined our significant concerns that future California rules would eliminate sales of flex fuel vehicles or passenger vehicles using mid-level ethanol blends.
Now, Minnesota policymakers must decide whether to adopt the new restrictive California standards, ultimately impacting the livelihoods of Minnesota family farmers. The adoption of California’s new standard is not automatically applied in Minnesota.
The Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) and Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) standards that Minnesota adopted in 2021 are set to be effective for model year 2025. These standards were a part of California’s original Advanced Clean Cars program. The standards adopted today replace those original standards. The standards adopted by CARB today will apply to vehicles beginning in model year 2026 and phase to a full zero emission vehicle requirement beginning in 2035.
“Ethanol and biofuels are proven to reduce carbon emissions,” MCGA President Bryan Biegler said. “California’s decision is not the right direction for Minnesota, which has a significant biofuels production sector and an agricultural economy that is vital to the economic health of the state. We advocate strongly for ethanol and biofuels, and for the farmer families in Minnesota who support the biofuels industry.”
