The Trump administration openly threatened one of the cornerstones of California’s environmental protections Monday, saying that it may revoke the state’s ability under the Clean Air Act to impose stricter standards than the federal government sets for vehicle emissions.

The announcement came as the administration confirmed it is tearing up landmark fuel economy rules that formed a key part of the effort by the Obama administration and California officials to combat global warming.

This aggressive move by the Trump administration should come as no surprise to those who know anything about the man who runs the EPA. Trump appointed Scott Pruitt, who describes himself as a “leading advocate against the EPA’s activist agenda”, to run the agency.

Pruitt is wary of these fuel economy rules, which have been pushing automakers to manufacture cleaner-burning cars and SUVs for decades.

While some may not consider this a bad thing, it’s almost always a bad idea to have the government intervene in an industry. Currently, California’s harsh laws are forcing auto companies to make cars that people simply do not want.

Industry officials and analysts have noted that electric cars and hybrids account for just 3{75726800c12fe2ebed14402fd98444a61f7eda42751f92330bc58faf20bd8821} of vehicle sales in the United States. Environmentalists typically blame the auto companies, saying that they are focusing more on selling SUV’s than environmentally friendly vehicles.

This is patently false, considering these manufacturers are merely responding to the demands of the market. If the public truly wanted electric cars, more than 3{75726800c12fe2ebed14402fd98444a61f7eda42751f92330bc58faf20bd8821} of Americans would own one.