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LINCOLN, Neb. (DTN) -- The Trump administration moved one step closer to not only ending California's de facto national electric-vehicle mandate but also toward not allowing states in the future to use federal law in the same manner.

The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed three Congressional Review Act resolutions disapproving California's vehicle emissions waivers. The resolutions now await the signature of President Donald Trump who campaigned on ending the EV mandate.

In 2022, California regulators announced a plan to ban the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles in the state by 2035. That move set the stage for moving to all-electric vehicles.

In February, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced alongside Trump and the newly created National Energy Dominance Council, that the EPA would transmit to Congress three waiver rules granted by the Biden administration -- California's Advanced Clean Cars II, Advanced Clean Trucks, and Heavy-Duty Engine Omnibus NOx.

"While framed as emissions regulations, together, these waivers function as electric vehicle mandates that would have raised costs, restricted consumer choice, and strained the electric grid," EPA said in a news release on Thursday.

"By passing the CRA resolutions of disapproval, Congress rejected these mandates and reaffirmed the importance of maintaining a consistent national approach to vehicle standards rather than allowing a single state to impose its radical agenda on the rest of the country."

EPA said it would "move expeditiously" to administratively remove the waivers from the books.

The Biden administration's granting of the waivers was challenged in a 2022 lawsuit by attorneys general in 17 states and agriculture interest groups.

In a brief filed by 17 states in October 2022, they said the actions taken by California and the Biden administration already had led to other states adopting California's approach.

In 2005, for the first time, California sought a waiver from the EPA to establish its own emission standards, not for local pollutants but for greenhouse gases the state determined contribute to global climate change.

EPA denied the waiver in 2008 and concluded that the Clean Air Act did not authorize California to tackle "diffuse national and international problems," according to the AG's brief.

With a change in administrations, the EPA granted California another waiver in 2013. That was withdrawn by EPA in 2019.

Giving California the ability to adopt an EV mandate effectively required the whole country to follow suit.

"We are glad to see that Congress recognized the truth, that EPA's California waivers are rules that would create a negative impact on all Americans by driving up costs while limiting consumer choice, and acted accordingly," Zeldin said in a statement on Thursday.

"This action, once signed by President Trump, not only prevents California from implementing their attempt at EV mandate actions but ensures that they can never do something similar again."

EPA said once the resolutions become law that revoking the waivers would provide "regulatory certainty" for manufacturers, consumers and the "entire nation."

In March 2025, Zeldin announced the agency would reconsider the model year 2027 and later light-duty and medium-duty vehicles regulation and greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles.

"In addition to imposing over $700 billion in regulatory and compliance costs, these rules provided the foundation for the Biden-Harris electric-vehicle mandate that takes away Americans' ability to choose a safe and affordable car for their family and increases the cost of living on all products that trucks deliver," EPA said this week.

Read more on DTN:

"Ag, States Challenge EPA Action on EVs," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

"Court Favors EPA, California on EV Mandate," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com

Follow him on social platform X @DTNeeley

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