Jeff Brady

President Trump wants to eliminate California's toughest in the nation car pollution standards, calling them an electric vehicle mandate.

The Federal Transportation Department is suing the California Air Resources Board, arguing it doesn't have authority to set car pollution standards.

California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff said the state will push back.

He criticized Trump for attacking pollution regulations, saying that hurts consumers and benefits oil companies.

The legal fight plays out as the Iran war has pushed up oil prices and prompted more drivers to consider going electric.

While the cars are more expensive, the fuel is cheaper.

Jeff Brady, NPR News.

Energy Star awards its blue and white logo to the most efficient appliances and buildings.

The Environmental Protection Agency has operated the program for more than three decades.

The Trump administration effort to end or privatize the program failed.

Congress specifically instructed that the EPA spend just over $33 million this year on Energy Star.

But now the EPA has signed an agreement to transfer responsibility to the Energy Department.

The U.S.

Green Building Council says EPA has been very successful in creating and managing Energy Star and is concerned about the administration abruptly moving the program after Congress showed bipartisan support for it.

Jeff Brady, NPR News.

The Associated Press poll found that about 60 percent of Americans said they were affected by severe cold weather or winter storms in the past five years.

That's a slight increase from when the same question was asked last year.

Part of that response is people's perceptions as the climate heats up and winters generally are warmer.

Extremely cold winters happen less frequently.

This perception issue affects younger people even more because they may not have experienced extreme cold in the past.