Minnesota Senate File 450 would stop California car mandates

Minnesota Senate Republicans have introduced a bill, Senate File 450, that would keep the cost of vehicles low by preventing the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) from unilaterally imposing unpopular California car mandates in the land of 10,000 lakes. The bill is currently part of the end-of-session negotiations between the House, Senate, and Governor.

SF 450 was introduced by Senator Andrew Mathews (R-Milaca), and the bill would make it crystal clear that bureaucrats in St. Paul do not have the authority to sign Minnesota onto regulations created by the California Air Resources Board.

American Experiment has been a leading critic of these rules, submitting 46 pages of comments which argue that the rules increase the cost of new vehicles by up to $2,500 per vehicle for zero measurable environmental benefits.

In fact, MPCA doesn’t even want to tell you how little difference these regulations would have on future global temperatures because they would be immeasurably small.

Given the large costs and immeasurably small benefits, it is no surprise that 11,300 Minnesotans signed American Experiment’s petition opposing the rules. This sends a powerful message to the administration telling them there is strong opposition to the rules.

In an amazing contrast, only 744 people submitted comments through Fresh Energy’s online portal, even though Fresh Energy has been on of the loudest advocates for the California car rules.

It is unlikely that the House DFL or the Walz administration will allow SF 450 to become the law of the land, but the fight against adopting California car mandates rages on at the capitol, and through the regulatory process.