Minnesota auto dealers lose court fight with state pollution regulators over 'clean car' rule

The Minnesota Court of Appeals has upheld the state's "clean car" rulemaking, backing the authority of the state's pollution regulator to try to get more zero-emission vehicles onto sales lots in the fight against climate change.

The decision, released Monday, is a loss for the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association, which has been challenging the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) over the rulemaking. The industry group has characterized it as unnecessary regulatory overreach.

Doug Seaton, who heads the Upper Midwest Law Center in Minneapolis and works with the auto dealers group, said they were disappointed and will likely petition the state Supreme Court to hear the case.

"We think it's the wrong decision," Seaton said. "We knew from the outset this would potentially take going to the Supreme Court."

Minnesotans for Clean Cars, a coalition of environmental groups, issued a news release applauding the decision as a win. Transportation has been the state's biggest source of heat-trapping greenhouse gases, particularly with regard to passenger vehicles.

Joy Anderson, supervising attorney for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, said in the release that Minnesotans want more opportunities to buy electric vehicles, which automakers have been sending to other states with strict emissions standards.

"The Court of Appeals confirmed that the MPCA had the authority to adopt the Clean Cars Rule to clean up air pollution and reduce Minnesota's greenhouse gas emissions," Anderson said.