Climate action

Fossil fuel companies, farms, unions and business groups are taking the state Department of Environmental Quality to court over a program they call “economically infeasible.”

The nonpartisan California Legislative Analyst’s Office, or LAO, is recommending state lawmakers reject Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed $200 million zero-emission vehicle incentive program.

New budget language lays out how Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to structure a $200 million electric vehicle rebate program, including price caps, automaker matching funds and a focus on first-time buyers.

Medium and heavy-duty truck owners in Oregon looking to go electric can now apply for a state rebate to help lower those costs.

The plan focuses on transportation, development standards, and preparing for California’s 2045 climate goals.

A federal judge on Monday struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order blocking wind energy projects, saying the effort to halt virtually all leasing of wind farms on federal lands and waters was “arbitrary and capricious” and violates U.S. law. Oregon and California were among the parties seeking the ruling.

Oregon’s EV footprint has been steadily increasing, with more than 126,000 registered electric vehicles in the state as of August. But public charging ports have struggled to keep up.

A California program created to help residents buy electric bikes has been canceled, leaving advocates questioning why it ended so suddenly.

The nonprofit Energy Trust of Oregon is encouraging residents to invest in heating and cooling pumps, solar panels, before federal money goes away.

California state officials are in Brazil for the annual United Nations climate conference. The visit highlights California’s role as a climate leader and supports its environmental policies, especially since the U.S. has no official federal delegation. However, some critics question whether the trip is worthwhile because California lacks the power to make international agreements.

Legal experts, including a former federal official and UCLA professor, say California could go it alone if the federal government stops regulating greenhouse gases. One reason to try is to protect the state’s clean-car economy.

A boom in data centers and the end of federal vehicle emissions standards means Oregon will fail to meet its 2035 greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal by two years, according to an analysis completed this month. But state officials pushing to drastically cut carbon emissions say it’s not too late to get back on track.