Tell EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson to grant California's waiver

[ProSense]

At a time when Americans are celebrating the holidays with friends and family, on Wednesday the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Stephen Johnson, showed up as the Grinch.

Two years ago on this very day, California announced plans to combat the dire consequences of global warming by filing a waiver request with the EPA, seeking federal approval to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles. The Clean Air Act gives states the right to set stricter vehicle emissions standards as long as they obtain waivers from the EPA -- waivers which have been granted to California 50 times in the past and never denied. Now 16 other states are in the process of adopting similar standards as California, collectively covering nearly 150 million Americans.

Unfortunately, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson put politics over science and, in the dead of the night as lawmakers were leaving town for the holiday recess, announced that he planned to stand in the way of our fight against global warming by denying California's common-sense waiver -- a decision that would affect nearly half of the country as we work to combat global warming.

We can't let government bureaucrats like Stephen Johnson stand in the way of California's efforts to protect our environment and lead America's fight against global warming.

Forward an email to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson now -- and urge him to reverse his decision on California's common-sense waiver request so 150 million Americans can fight global warming!

Under these standards, California would be cutting greenhouse gases by an amount equal to taking 6.5 million cars off the road by 2020 -- and if these 16 other states join California, emissions would be reduced by the equivalent of 22 million cars by 2020, cutting gasoline usage by up to 11 billion gallons per year.

Now, during a season when we all are thinking about how to make our world a better, safer, and more peaceful place, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson has delivered the worst possible news to the people of California and 16 other states who are leading the fight for the survival of our planet.

Administrator Johnson's ill-advised decision to deny California's waiver turns its back on science, turns its back on fairness, turns its back on states' rights, and turns it back on precedent. We can't let it stand.

Forward an email to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson now -- and urge him to reverse his decision on California's common-sense waiver request so 150 million Americans can fight global warming!

Make no mistake about it -- the reason that EPA Administrator Johnson waited until late December to issue his controversial decision, overruling the unanimous recommendations of his agency's legal and technical staff, was to try to minimize public backlash.

Well, it's time that EPA Administrator Johnson knows that we're watching -- and we're outraged by his decision to put politics over science.

We won't let Stephen Johnson be the Grinch who steals California's emissions standards and sets back America's fight against global warming.

Forward an email to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson now -- and urge him to reverse his decision on California's common-sense waiver request so 150 million Americans can fight global warming!

Thank you for helping me speak out on this critically important issue. I will not rest until Administrator Johnson's terrible decision is overturned so that California and every state can protect their citizens from the catastrophic effects of global warming -- and your voice will really make a difference.

Happy Holidays!

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

[Fovea]

1. Done

K&R

[gateley]

2. Done - thanks. We found out with the FISA bill how much our e-mails DO

have impact. Recommend.

[ProSense]

3. Kick! n/t