On July 7, 2026, the Department of Transportation released its 2026 unified rulemaking agenda. Many of the items on it relate to autonomous driving systems. They signal that the Trump Administration is accelerating its efforts to promote the development and deployment of autonomous technologies, while — with notable exceptions, particularly fuel economy — putting other regulatory efforts on the back burner. (more…)
https://goodlifesci.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/03/sidleyLogo-e1643922598198.png00Adam M. Ravivhttps://goodlifesci.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/03/sidleyLogo-e1643922598198.pngAdam M. Raviv2026-07-09 11:57:402026-07-09 12:03:02The Department of Transportation’s 2026 Regulatory Agenda: Acceleration of Autonomous Vehicle Rulemaking and Future Action on Fuel Economy
Companies preparing to comply with California’s Senate Bill (SB) 253 and submit their first required disclosures in August 2026 have received an update this week from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) that will delay reporting deadlines. On June 24, 2026, CARB deferred the deadline for entities to report Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from August 10, 2026 to November 10, 2026. The three-month deferral will provide additional time for reporting entities following the anticipated approval and formal adoption of CARB’s proposed regulation. CARB will propose limited changes to the regulation to clarify requirements. These changes will be made available for comment in a forthcoming 15-day public comment period.
https://environmentalhealthsafetybrief.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/06/AdobeStock_192168592.jpg449600Maureen F. Gorsenhttps://goodlifesci.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/03/sidleyLogo-e1643922598198.pngMaureen F. Gorsen2026-06-30 11:22:372026-06-30 11:22:37SB 253 Update: CARB Delays Reporting Deadline to November 2026 and Proposes to Clarify Requirements
On June 26, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published another proposed rulemaking designed to promote the deployment of autonomous vehicles on public roads. The proposal would amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, “Light vehicle brake systems,” by removing requirements for hand- and foot-operated brake controls in vehicles that operate without a human driver, while retaining stopping distance performance requirements. This rulemaking represents a meaningful—if still incremental—step in modernizing the federal regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles, particularly those that are manufactured without the standard equipment designed for human drivers.
https://goodlifesci.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/03/sidleyLogo-e1643922598198.png00Adam M. Ravivhttps://goodlifesci.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/03/sidleyLogo-e1643922598198.pngAdam M. Raviv2026-06-29 16:30:332026-06-29 16:30:33NHTSA Proposes Amending Federal Brake Standards for Autonomous Vehicles
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has scheduled several informal public hearings on more than 20 deregulatory rulemaking proposals that OSHA released last summer, along with a recent proposal addressing compliance deadlines under OSHA’s Walking-Working Surfaces standard. Together, these proposals reach standards that touch employers across a wide range of industries. Stakeholders who want to shape the outcome have a narrow window to act. These virtual hearings kick off beginning Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. EST.
The proposals fit under the administration’s Executive Order 14192 on “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation” and the U.S. Department of Labor’s related deregulatory initiative. OSHA describes its overarching goal as modernizing workplace safety standards, reducing compliance burdens, and increasing flexibility across industries.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed a rule that could allow project developers of data centers, energy projects, and other facilities to begin certain site-development and infrastructure activities before obtaining a Clean Air Act (CAA) New Source Review (NSR) permit. The proposed rule, published on May 11, 2026, would clarify that certain non-emitting activities may occur before an NSR permit is issued, potentially providing greater flexibility for project development without altering the substantive air permitting requirements applicable to pollutant-emitting equipment. (more…)
https://goodlifesci.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/03/sidleyLogo-e1643922598198.png00Brittany A. Bolenhttps://goodlifesci.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/03/sidleyLogo-e1643922598198.pngBrittany A. Bolen2026-06-08 09:58:032026-06-08 10:03:42EPA Proposal Could Reduce New Source Review-Related Delays for Major Construction Projects
On May 22, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the BUILD America 250 Act, a five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill intended to replace the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which expires on September 30, 2026. In addition to authorizing hundreds of billions of dollars in highway funding and various other measures, the bill includes several provisions focusing on the emerging autonomous trucking industry. The legislation would establish federal safety requirements for commercial autonomous vehicles (AVs), would resolve the contentious issue of warning beacons on driverless trucks, and would potentially preempt at least some state and local regulation.
https://environmentalhealthsafetybrief.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/04/AdobeStock_287186814.jpg404600Adam M. Ravivhttps://goodlifesci.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/03/sidleyLogo-e1643922598198.pngAdam M. Raviv2026-06-01 13:27:252026-06-01 13:27:25The BUILD America 250 Act: Creating a Federal Framework for Autonomous Commercial Vehicles
On May 14, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is reconsidering the criteria pollutant standards for new light- and medium-duty vehicles. The first phase of EPA’s proposal would push back the phase-in schedule of the “Tier 4” criteria pollutant standards from model year 2027 to model year 2029, giving automakers two additional model years to comply with the existing Tier 3 framework before the more stringent requirements begin to apply—and giving EPA time to conduct a second rulemaking to amend the Tier 4 emissions standards.
https://goodlifesci.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/03/sidleyLogo-e1643922598198.png00Justin A. Savagehttps://goodlifesci.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/03/sidleyLogo-e1643922598198.pngJustin A. Savage2026-05-20 14:41:132026-05-20 14:41:13EPA Proposes Two-Year Delay of Biden-Era Vehicle Emissions Standards
On May 1, three members of the D.C. Council introduced a new bill, titled the Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026, that would create a pathway for the deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in the District of Columbia. Reflecting the Council’s approach to AV deployment, the lead sponsor of the legislation has said that “we didn’t need to be the first city to bring driverless cars to our streets, but I don’t want us to be the last.”
https://environmentalhealthsafetybrief.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/05/Capital-Building.jpg400600Adam M. Ravivhttps://goodlifesci.sidley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/03/sidleyLogo-e1643922598198.pngAdam M. Raviv2026-05-14 12:19:472026-05-14 12:19:47D.C. Council Proposes a Costly Path for Autonomous Vehicles in the Nation’s Capital
The Department of Transportation’s 2026 Regulatory Agenda: Acceleration of Autonomous Vehicle Rulemaking and Future Action on Fuel Economy
On July 7, 2026, the Department of Transportation released its 2026 unified rulemaking agenda. Many of the items on it relate to autonomous driving systems. They signal that the Trump Administration is accelerating its efforts to promote the development and deployment of autonomous technologies, while — with notable exceptions, particularly fuel economy — putting other regulatory efforts on the back burner. (more…)
Adam M. Raviv
Washington, D.C.
adam.raviv@sidley.com
SB 253 Update: CARB Delays Reporting Deadline to November 2026 and Proposes to Clarify Requirements
Companies preparing to comply with California’s Senate Bill (SB) 253 and submit their first required disclosures in August 2026 have received an update this week from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) that will delay reporting deadlines. On June 24, 2026, CARB deferred the deadline for entities to report Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from August 10, 2026 to November 10, 2026. The three-month deferral will provide additional time for reporting entities following the anticipated approval and formal adoption of CARB’s proposed regulation. CARB will propose limited changes to the regulation to clarify requirements. These changes will be made available for comment in a forthcoming 15-day public comment period.
(more…)
Maureen F. Gorsen
Century City
maureen.gorsen@sidley.com
Heather M. Palmer
Houston
hpalmer@sidley.com
Caleb J. Bowers
Los Angeles
cbowers@sidley.com
Riley Desper
Washington, D.C.
NHTSA Proposes Amending Federal Brake Standards for Autonomous Vehicles
On June 26, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published another proposed rulemaking designed to promote the deployment of autonomous vehicles on public roads. The proposal would amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, “Light vehicle brake systems,” by removing requirements for hand- and foot-operated brake controls in vehicles that operate without a human driver, while retaining stopping distance performance requirements. This rulemaking represents a meaningful—if still incremental—step in modernizing the federal regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles, particularly those that are manufactured without the standard equipment designed for human drivers.
(more…)
Adam M. Raviv
Washington, D.C.
adam.raviv@sidley.com
OSHA Schedules Public Hearings on Deregulatory Proposals
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has scheduled several informal public hearings on more than 20 deregulatory rulemaking proposals that OSHA released last summer, along with a recent proposal addressing compliance deadlines under OSHA’s Walking-Working Surfaces standard. Together, these proposals reach standards that touch employers across a wide range of industries. Stakeholders who want to shape the outcome have a narrow window to act. These virtual hearings kick off beginning Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. EST.
The proposals fit under the administration’s Executive Order 14192 on “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation” and the U.S. Department of Labor’s related deregulatory initiative. OSHA describes its overarching goal as modernizing workplace safety standards, reducing compliance burdens, and increasing flexibility across industries.
Alana Genderson
Washington, D.C.
alana.genderson@sidley.com
Rachel F. Wittenberg
Chicago
rachel.wittenberg@sidley.com
EPA Proposal Could Reduce New Source Review-Related Delays for Major Construction Projects
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed a rule that could allow project developers of data centers, energy projects, and other facilities to begin certain site-development and infrastructure activities before obtaining a Clean Air Act (CAA) New Source Review (NSR) permit. The proposed rule, published on May 11, 2026, would clarify that certain non-emitting activities may occur before an NSR permit is issued, potentially providing greater flexibility for project development without altering the substantive air permitting requirements applicable to pollutant-emitting equipment. (more…)
Brittany A. Bolen
Washington, D.C.
bbolen@sidley.com
Caleb J. Bowers
Los Angeles
cbowers@sidley.com
Riley Desper
Washington, D.C.
The BUILD America 250 Act: Creating a Federal Framework for Autonomous Commercial Vehicles
On May 22, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the BUILD America 250 Act, a five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill intended to replace the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which expires on September 30, 2026. In addition to authorizing hundreds of billions of dollars in highway funding and various other measures, the bill includes several provisions focusing on the emerging autonomous trucking industry. The legislation would establish federal safety requirements for commercial autonomous vehicles (AVs), would resolve the contentious issue of warning beacons on driverless trucks, and would potentially preempt at least some state and local regulation.
(more…)
Adam M. Raviv
Washington, D.C.
adam.raviv@sidley.com
Rachel F. Wittenberg
Chicago
rachel.wittenberg@sidley.com
EPA Proposes Two-Year Delay of Biden-Era Vehicle Emissions Standards
On May 14, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is reconsidering the criteria pollutant standards for new light- and medium-duty vehicles. The first phase of EPA’s proposal would push back the phase-in schedule of the “Tier 4” criteria pollutant standards from model year 2027 to model year 2029, giving automakers two additional model years to comply with the existing Tier 3 framework before the more stringent requirements begin to apply—and giving EPA time to conduct a second rulemaking to amend the Tier 4 emissions standards.
(more…)
Justin A. Savage
Washington, D.C.
jsavage@sidley.com
Caleb J. Bowers
Los Angeles
cbowers@sidley.com
Lauren E. DeCarlo
Chicago
lauren.decarlo@sidley.com
D.C. Council Proposes a Costly Path for Autonomous Vehicles in the Nation’s Capital
On May 1, three members of the D.C. Council introduced a new bill, titled the Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026, that would create a pathway for the deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in the District of Columbia. Reflecting the Council’s approach to AV deployment, the lead sponsor of the legislation has said that “we didn’t need to be the first city to bring driverless cars to our streets, but I don’t want us to be the last.”
(more…)
Adam M. Raviv
Washington, D.C.
adam.raviv@sidley.com
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