Calif. AG: Trump backs down on greenhouse gas rule

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) on Thursday declared victory in a fight with the Trump administration over a greenhouse gas emission regulation.

Becerra in a statement said that he and seven other attorneys general sued the Trump administration last week for delaying an Obama-era regulation that mandated local and state officials measure emissions for specific federally funded highways.

{mosads}“Today, the Trump Administration backed down and will now implement the Measure as is legally required. This is a victory for the American people and will help us tackle climate change, the most important global environmental issue of our time,” Becerra said.

“Climate change is real. If President Trump is not prepared to admit it or to do his job of protecting our families by enforcing our environmental rules, then I’m prepared as Attorney General to call his bluff.”

The Department of Justice announced Monday that it would re-instate the regulation, known as the Greenhouse Gas Performance Measure, which became official Thursday.

The Trump administration in May delayed parts of the regulation’s enforcement.

Becerra filed the lawsuit along with the California Air Resources Board, in addition to seven states: Iowa, Oregon, Washington, Maryland, Vermont, Minnesota and Massachusetts.