On Wednesday, the Minnesota Senate held a joint hearing with the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy and Legacy Committees regarding the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) intention to adopt the California Emission Standards through the administrative rulemaking process.

Governor Walz’s administration is seeking to implement California’s mandatory auto-emission standards on vehicles sold in Minnesota by bypassing the legislature and using the administrative rulemaking process.

“As Minnesotans continue to struggle with the financial fallout of COVID and grapple with the uncertainty of when we will be allowed to open up, the Walz administration has picked its new priority of adopting California Emission Standards,” said Senator Rich Draheim (R-Madison Lake). “These proposed rules will be an immediate blow to our economy, harming thousands of Minnesotans that rely on non-EVs for work and will make car purchasing more expensive for everyone.”

“Rather than use the stick, the government should trust consumers and producers to deliver market-driven reform,” continued Sen. Draheim. “We all want a cleaner environment.  As the technology continues to improve and pricing becomes more affordable, people will undoubtedly continue to adopt it.”

If adopted, the California Emission Standards will rattle Minnesota’s economy, raising transportation costs for lower-income residents and disproportionally hurting rural and border communities. Data suggests that new vehicles’ demand will drop 7.1% and that Minnesotans can expect to pay $800-$2,500 more per vehicle, not just on EVs. 

The “proposed benefit” of the rules also seems questionable based on data from Minnesota and across the nation. Without adopting the standards, MnDOT’s forecast shows that gasoline usage has already hit its peak and is projected to decline exponentially in the future.  Furthermore, states like Pennsylvania, which already have adopted the standards, have a smaller percentage of EVs than Minnesota.

This data suggests that Minnesota’s market is already moving towards cleaner and more efficient cars, with more models hitting lots yearly. Like the energy industry, consumers seem to be determining the trend with demand as EVs become more affordable and the technology becoming more accessible. Unfortunately, using their rulemaking power, the MPCA and Governor do not offer any financial incentive to consumers, expecting Minnesota families to front the bill.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has begun hosting public information sessions in the agency’s effort to impose the California Car Mandate on Minnesotans. In addition to conducting a public information session on Tuesday, the MPCA will be holding another one Wednesday, and additional sessions are scheduled for January 27 and February 2. You can find more information for them at https://www.pca.state.mn.us/air/clean-cars-mn-rulemaking.

Minnesotans who wish to submit public comments can either attend one of the planned virtual hearings, they can submit links via the Office of Administrative Hearings website (https://mn.gov/oah/), or attend a public hearing. The hearings for public comments will take place virtually on February 22 and 23 at 3 p.m.