Photo by Deb Gau Lyon County Commissioners Charlie Sanow and Steve Ritter joined in a Tuesday discussion of a proposed vehicle emission standards rule being considered by the MPCA. Commissioners passed a resolution formally speaking out against the proposal — a move that has already been made by organizations ranging from the Nobles County Board to the Marshall EDA.

MARSHALL — Lyon County Commissioners weren’t alone in objecting to a new fuel efficiency rule being considered by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. But while they had all the same reservations about the rule as Marshall city officials did last week, commissioners went through with formally speaking out against it.

On Tuesday, the county board approved a resolution opposing the Clean Cars Minnesota rule, which would have Minnesota adopt low- and zero-emission vehicle standards similar to California’s. Some other local governments and organizations have already spoken out against the proposed emission standards, including the Nobles County Board and the Marshall Economic Development Authority.

A resolution opposing the rule failed on a tie vote when it was brought before the Marshall City Council last week. Council members were divided over whether it was appropriate for them to take a position on a state government issue.

At Tuesday’s Lyon County Board meeting, County Administrator Loren Stomberg presented the issue for discussion, along with a copy of the Nobles County resolution. The Nobles County resolution not only spoke out against the proposed rule, but urged Gov. Tim Walz’s administration to take the issue to the state Legislature instead.

“(The MPCA is) making what I feel is a policy change through a rule-making process, and not a legislative process,” Stomberg said. The rules the MPCA is considering would phase out the sale of fuel-powered passenger vehicles by 2035.

Commissioners objected to a few different aspects of the proposed rule, including the process by which it was being made.

“They’re going about it the wrong way, making it a rule,” said Commissioner Paul Graupmann.

“A governor should not mandate it. The MPCA should not mandate it,” said Commissioner Charlie Sanow.

Commissioner Rick Anderson said he thought Minnesota should be able to come up with a solution for cleaner transportation that works for the state, rather than adopting California’s standards or pushing for the sale of electric vehicles.

“I think Minnesota has done a very good job with clean fuel standards,” Anderson said. He said electric vehicles would also come with their own environmental challenges, like the need to mine lithium for the batteries, and the question of how to safely dispose of electric vehicle batteries.

“There’s no infrastructure set up to deal with this,” Sanow said of the push toward electric vehicles the rule would create. He said Minnesota had seen similar challenges with renewable power sources — you can’t harness wind energy if there are no transmission lines for the electricity that wind turbines generate.

Commissioners voted unanimously to pass a resolution opposing the vehicle emission standards rule.