EPA Denies California's Ability to Regulate Our Own Air

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Working Californians blogs]

The EPA dragged its feet for years and when they finally ruled it was not surprising to see them turn down our waiver request to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. It is another in a long line of anti-environmental rulings from the Bush Administration. They are using the passage of the energy bill as an excuse to deny the waiver. AP:

The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday slapped down California's bid for first-in-the-nation greenhouse gas limits on cars, trucks and SUVs, denying a request for a waiver that would have allowed those restrictions to take effect.

"The Bush administration is moving forward with a clear national solution _ not a confusing patchwork of state rules," EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson told reporters on a conference call. "I believe this is a better approach than if individual states were to act alone."

I will wait for the laughter to stop about the Bush Administration moving forward with a solution on greenhouse gas emissions before bringing you another excerpt.

The long-awaited decision amounted to a serious setback for California and 16 other states seeking the new car regulations to achieve their anti-global warming goals.

The tailpipe standards California adopted in 2004 would have forced automakers to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent in new cars and light trucks by 2016, with the cutbacks beginning in the 2009 model year.

Under the Clean Air Act, the state needed a federal waiver to implement the rules.

"It is disappointing that the federal government is standing in our way and ignoring the will of tens of millions of people across the nation. We will continue to fight this battle," said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. "California sued to compel the agency to act on our waiver, and now we will sue to overturn today's decision and allow Californians to protect our environment."

This was the first time that EPA has fully denied a waiver since Congress gave the states the ability to apply for a waiver back in 1967.

It is unclear how California and the other 12 states who signed on to adopted our emissions standards will proceed. I would imagine there will be lawsuits of some variety. It may be impossible to get anything done until there is someone else in the White House.