EPA Denies California Greenhouse Gas Waiver: Serious setback for states seeking car regulations

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: NYT/AP

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 19, 2007

WASHINGTON (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.''

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.

At issue were tailpipe standards California adopted in 2004 that 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. The state needed a federal waiver to implement the rules.

Twelve other states -- Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington -- have adopted the California emissions standards, and the governors of Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Utah have said they also plan to adopt them. With the denial, those other states are also prevented from moving forward....

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-California-Greenhouse-Gases.html

[Robbien]

1. Stephen L. Johnson, a man who hates the EPA and EPA regulation

So of course he is put in charge of administering the EPA.

Hopefully California will find a way past this stooge.

[Gloria]

2. NM was headed toward using CA standards, too....

[Trillo]

3. Republickan cry: States Rights! States Rights!

Hear the sound of silence?

Back in the late 70s, Honda came out with the CVCC, and it was getting 40+ MPG. Bush is wanting to raise cafe standards to what, 30 years later?

[tanyev]

4. Silence now, but if a Democrat takes the White House, they'll start screeching it ad nauseam again.

[Uncle Joe]

14. What they're really crying is Corporate Rights! Corporate Rights!

That States Rights B.S. is only used for Machiavellian purposes of division, when they're not in control of the Federal Government, but they know who their daddy is and it's not the American People. If nothing else Bush vs Gore proved their hypocrisy regarding states rights, the only thing they're about is obtaining and maintaining power.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

5. E.P.A. Denies California Emission’s Waiver

Source: NYT

DETROIT — The Bush administration said Wednesday night that it would deny California's bid to set stricter vehicle emissions standards than federal law required as part of the state's efforts to fight climate change.

Stephen L. Johnson, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, said he planned to deny the state's application for a waiver from federal law that the state had sought more than two years ago.

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

The E.P.A's decision was a victory for the American auto companies, and came just hours after President Bush signed legislation that will raise fuel economy standards by 40 percent to 35 miles a gallon in 2020.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/19/washington/20epa-web.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[endarkenment]

6. Corporations to people: work consume die.

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

Oh that needs a translation:

"Global corporations have decided to do nothing about catastrophic climate change. Attempts by the people to assert their sovereign right to self determination will be supressed at any cost. Work, consume, die."

[rockybelt]

7. Any attempt

by anybody to do anything that may possibly hinder the oil companies will not be tolerated!

What a crock of bull shit. For God's sake, let's not have anybody take any initiative and have forward thinking on a problem that effects everyone. If we don't clean this planet up, which planet are you going to go to?

What an ass-hole. Impeach this moth#$ F*%#*r already!!!!!

[defendandprotect]

8. Remember GOP and "state's rights" --- I think that ended in 2000 Bush v Gore--!!!

[underpants]

10. Yeah this blows that right out of the water

:nuke:

E.P.A. Says 17 States Can’t Set Emission Rules
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/20/washington/20epa.html?hp

“The Bush administration is moving forward with a clear national solution, not a confusing patchwork of state rules,” he said. “I believe this is a better approach than if individual states were to act alone.”

:eyes:

[onehandle]

9. This had better be reversed by the coming Democratic administration.

States rights!

[underpants]

11. MORE from the article

The decision immediately provoked a heated debate over its scientific basis and whether political pressure was applied by the automobile industry to help it escape the proposed California regulations. Officials from the states and numerous environmental groups vowed to sue to overturn the edict.

The 17 states — including New York, New Jersey and Connecticut — had waited two years for the Bush administration to issue a ruling on an application to set stricter air quality standards than those adopted by the federal government. The decision, technically known as a Clean Air Act waiver, was the first time California was refused permission to impose its own pollution rules; the federal government had previously granted the state more than 50 waivers.

If the waiver had been granted and the 16 other states had adopted the California standard, it would have covered at least half of all vehicles sold in the United States.

Automakers praised the decision. “We commend E.P.A. for protecting a national, 50-state program,” said David McCurdy, president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. “Enhancing energy security and improving fuel economy are priorities to all automakers, but a patchwork quilt of inconsistent and competing fuel economy programs at the state level would only have created confusion, inefficiency and uncertainty for automakers and consumers.”

[wtmusic]

12. Now we can't decide our clean we want our air to be?

May be time for Civil War II.

[kestrel91316]

13. I've got my OWN standards. US and EPA be damned. I'll NEVER

buy another car that gets less than 35 mph hwy. PERIOD.

You can build all the gas hogs you want, carmakers. I ain't buyin'.