NORFOLK, Va. — Virginia won't follow California's vehicle mandates and will instead follow less stringent federal regulations, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday morning.
Virginia lawmakers passed a law in 2021 that said the State Air Pollution Control Board had to implement a program requiring a certain percentage of new vehicles to be electric or hybrid starting in 2025.
Watch: California sets example for electric cars
The law also put Virginia on a path to follow California's vehicle standards, which includes a provision mandating all new vehicles sold starting in 2035 to run on hydrogen or electricity.
“The idea that government should tell people what kind of car they can or can’t purchase is fundamentally wrong," Youngkin said in a statement Wednesday.
Attorney General Jason Miyares issued an opinion that said the law as written does not mandate Virginia to follow California's regulations beyond the end of this year.
“EV mandates like California’s are unworkable and out of touch with reality, and thankfully the law does not bind us to their regulations," said Miyares.
Watch: A look at Virginia's EV infrastructure
Supporters of the bill said it was an effort to address pollution.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation Attorney, Patrick Fanning, issued this statement about in opposition to Gov. Youngkin's withdrawal from the standards:
“Virginia chose to adopt more protective vehicle standards because the Commonwealth chose to be a leader in the fight against transportation emissions that damage Virginians’ health, pollute critical waterways, and contribute to climate change. Virginia was one of multiple Bay states that opted into these standards, recognizing their essential benefit in the shared goal of restoring the Chesapeake Bay and building healthier and more sustainable communities. Governor Youngkin’s decision sends the state in the wrong direction when it has never been more urgent to address this major driver of environmental and health problems in the Commonwealth.”
“The impacts of climate change to communities in the Bay watershed are not going away. In just this past year, we’ve seen multiple floods and more frequent, intense storms damage homes and businesses. Families are increasingly burdened by hospital bills. Tailpipe emissions remain a significant contributor to these detrimental impacts. Communities are calling for greater protection, not removal of an important shield in the fight against climate change, environmental degradation, and rising health care costs.”
“The Governor’s action relies on an Attorney General’s Opinion that misinterprets the law and undermines the clear intent of the General Assembly to require the Air Pollution Control Board to not only adopt clean car standards but also to periodically update them to ensure continued progress toward transitioning Virginia to a cleaner vehicle fleet.”
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Since taking office in 2022, Gov. Youngkin made it clear he was not a fan of the law, but for three straight years the Democrat-controlled Virginia Senate has blocked GOP-backed bills to repeal the mandates.
Virginia Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Scott Surovell said, "even Vladimir Putin does not claim to have this much power."
"We fought a war in 1776 to ensure that an executive would never have the powers that Governor Youngkin nullify laws by press conference," Surovell continued.
The governor is scheduled to further discuss his announcements during an event on Wednesday afternoon.
