California GHG Rules Attacked

About EVFinder   EVents Calendar    FAQ    EV Selector   Links    The EV Finder Archive Site Map Blog

Sunday May 4, 2008 - California Green House Gas Rules under Attack - California has always been a leader when it comes to the automobile.  They are the biggest market for Automobiles in the US and this has long caused air quality problems.  To offset this California has also been a leader in clean air legislation.  This is now under attack by the Bush Administration.

California has always had the worst air quality of any any state in the US and to combat this severe action was needed.  Because of this situation California has been able to establish its own laws for air quality.  Other states can choose between the Federal rules or the California Rules.  Currently about 17 states, including some of the most populous like New York, follow the California Regulations.

In the end, most automobile  manufacturers have been forced to follow California guidelines since it is more cost effective to build all your vehicles one way rather than to have separate California and non-California versions.

The Bush Administration have been working hard to prevent California from pushing the automobile industry to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions.  This all started when they joined the automobile manufacturers in a lawsuit that ended up gutting the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate.  

California pushed on and passed legislation to curb Green House Gas emissions.  The Bush Administration tried to block this and in the end the case came before the courts.  It was ruled that Carbon Dioxide was an air pollutant and as such California had the right to make laws to regulate its emission.

California then requested a waiver from the EPA, but the EPA, heavily influenced by the Bush Administration, refused to allow California this waiver.  California has now taken this before the courts so in a pre-emptive strike the Bush Administration, this time under the guise of the Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are tying to sneak legislation into law that would explicitly prevent California from regulating green house gases.

The intent is shown when they write "when state law stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of the full purposes and objectives of Congress" Further down we see the proposed rules which in part says  "As a state regulation related to fuel economy standards, any state regulation regulating tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles is expressly preempted under 49 U.S.C. 32919".

This is a blatant attempt to block execution of California's landmark green house gas regulations.  This is going to be bad news for everyone since the ultimate goal is most likely to prevent California for setting their own air quality regulations leaving them with the watered down pro big business regulations that are coming out of the EPA.  Legislation that has already proved to be totally inadequate to deal with California's smog problems.

If you want clean air and are concerned with global warming then now is the time to write to your Congress person and let them know in no uncertain terms that the people will not tolerate this attempt to prevent meaningful green house gas limits.

If you want to comment on this topic, email me, but please include your Name, City and State or Country