EPA Takes Action Against Harmful Environmental Rules After Senate President's Letters to Raise Awareness

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                     

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

EPA Takes Action Against Harmful Environmental Rules

After Senate President's Letters to Raise Awareness

PHOENIX, ARIZONA— The Trump Administration is taking action against radical environmental regulations from the State of California in the wake of letters sent to the federal government by Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen.

Earlier this year, President Petersen sent two letters – one to the Acting Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and another to the Arizona Congressional delegation – seeking to bring an end to California's unconstitutional control of America's energy policy. President Petersen suggested that the EPA transmit the relevant waiver approvals previously given to California by the Biden administration to Congress, in order to be reversed through a legislative mechanism known as the Congressional Review Act. The EPA later announced that it would be working with Congress to dispose of the waiver approvals.

"I'm grateful that Arizona again has a friend in the White House and the EPA," said President Petersen. "As I communicated previously to our federal officials, our nation's energy policy should be set by President Trump and his administration – not by radical environmentalists in California. Many of the energy and environmental policies from our neighboring state would harm Arizona families by increasing costs, compromising jobs, and limiting consumer choice. I am committed to working with our partners in the federal government – both in the White House and Congress – to safeguard the interests and future of our great state."

During the last month of the Biden administration, the EPA granted six waivers to California that allow implementation of environmental rules. One EPA waiver approved California's extreme rules to ban gasoline-only cars by 2035. Another EPA waiver approved California's extreme rules to ban gasoline leaf blowers and lawn mowers. Yet another EPA waiver approved California's radical rules to ban bulldozers and mining trucks.

The Biden EPA granted other waivers to California in addition to the flurry of last-minute waiver approvals. On at last five other occasions, the EPA granted waivers to California, including early versions of the State's radical rules for imposing electric car and electric truck mandates, that President Petersen has been fighting in federal court in an effort to prevent harms to Arizonans.

Soon after receiving Senate confirmation, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that he would be sending the rules highlighted by President Petersen to Congress for decisive action.

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For more information, contact:

Kim Quintero

Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus

kquintero@azleg.gov