US supreme court to hear fuel firms’ challenge to California’s emission limits

State has exemptions under Clean Air Act to set vehicle emissions standard higher than federal limits

The US supreme court agreed on Friday to hear a bid by fuel producers to challenge California’s standards for vehicle emissions and electric cars under a federal air pollution law in a major case testing the Democratic-governed state’s power to fight greenhouse gases.

The justices took up an appeal by a Valero Energy subsidiary and fuel industry groups over a lower court’s rejection of their challenge to a decision by Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration allow California to set its own regulations.