Colorado adopts California emissions standards

Colorado has adopted emission rules for cars and small trucks that incorporate California standards.

Friday’s vote by the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission enacts an executive order by Gov. John Hickenlooper.

Under the rules, new vehicles sold in Colorado must average 36 miles per gallon (15 kilometers per liter) by the year 2025. That’s about 10 miles per gallon (4 kilometers per liter) over the existing standard.

With the vote, Colorado joins several other states in moving pre-emptively to avoid any weakening of federal emissions standards by the Donald Trump administration.

Auto industry representatives oppose the move as too hasty. They say it will drive up the cost of new vehicles and induce car owners to hang onto their older, more polluting, vehicles.