Tim Walz Enacts California EV Rules in Minnesota Without Legislature

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has implemented a clean cars rule without consulting the state legislature, utilizing a little-known provision from previous legislation. This move has raised concerns about the potential direction of a Harris-Walz administration's climate and green energy policies at the federal level. Energy expert Isaac Orr criticized Walz for bypassing legislative approval, suggesting that the governor anticipated difficulties in passing such measures through the legislature. Adopted in July 2021, Minnesota's clean cars rule aligns the state with California's stringent emissions standards, making it the 14th state to do so. However, the rule has faced significant backlash from GOP lawmakers and the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association, which contends that Walz overstepped his authority by delegating emissions regulation to California. Association president Scott Lambert expressed doubts about the governor's understanding of the rule and criticized his absence from industry events promoting electric vehicles (EVs) without government mandates. In 2022, the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association legally challenged the clean cars rule, arguing it was anti-consumer and would lead to unsold inventory at dealerships. Despite these challenges, an appeals court upheld the state's right to adopt California's standards, ruling that the Walz administration had not violated any statutes. Currently, electric vehicle sales in Minnesota account for only 6.5 percent of new car sales, trailing behind states without such mandates, like Utah and Florida.