The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formally denied California’s
request for a Clean Air Act waiver of preemption today, blocking the efforts of
thirteen states that seek to require automakers to cut pollution from
automobile tailpipes.
“The EPA has turned a blind eye to science, law and the
critical role that the states are playing in tackling global warming,” said Energy
Advocate Ben Schreiber. “If the Bush
administration isn’t going to lead the way on global warming, the least they
can do is get out of the way of states that are taking action.”
In late 2004, California
adopted first-of-their-kind standards requiring cars and light-duty trucks to
limit emissions that contribute to global warming. Since then, 12 other states—Connecticut,
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington—have adopted the tailpipe
standards that will cut emissions from new automobiles by 30 percent by 2016. At least five other states, including Arizona,
Minnesota and Florida,
are moving ahead with adoption of the program.
The EPA sat for two years on California’s
request for a waiver under the Clean Air Act before EPA Administrator Stephen
Johnson announced in December 2007 that the agency would bar implementation of
the standards. Now, there is evidence that
Administrator Johnson acted against a unanimous recommendation of the agency’s professional
staff.
“The agency’s failure to give states the go-ahead marks a clear
political choice to cater to powerful special interests rather than moving America
forward in the fight against global warming,” said Schreiber.
California and more than a dozen
other states have filed suit against the EPA for failing to head science and
the law in denying California’s
request for a federal waiver of pre-emption under section 209(b) of the federal
Clean Air Act.
In addition, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) has introduced
legislation (S. 2555) that would grant the federal waiver for California,
allowing that state and others to move forward with the program. Environment America
is working to garner support for the legislation that ensures states have the
green light to put clean cars on the road.
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Environment America is a statewide nonprofit nonpartisan environmental
advocacy organization dedicated to clean air, clean water and open space.
