Washington – Backed by dozens of environmental groups and other states, California officials demanded federal permission Tuesday to impose controls on greenhouse-gas emissions from cars and other vehicles.
The lone voice of opposition at an Environmental Protection Agency hearing came from an auto-industry lobbyist who deemed California’s approach “counterproductive” and said there was no proof it would help reduce global warming.
“This is more important than any issue that EPA’s going to have to face,” California Attorney General Jerry Brown told regulators who will recommend whether to give California the waiver it needs to implement its tailpipe emissions law.
At least 11 other states are ready to follow California’s lead if it gets permission to go forward. Colorado is among six other states actively considering implementing California’s emissions standards.
At issue is a 2002 California law that requires automakers to cut emissions by 25 percent from cars and light trucks and 18 percent from sport utility vehicles starting with 2009 models.
California officials estimate this would lead to an 18 percent reduction in global-warming emissions from cars in the state by 2020. But the law can’t take effect unless California gets a federal waiver.
While the federal government has authority to make air-pollution rules, California has unique status under the Clean Air Act to enact its own regulations as long as it receives permission from the EPA. Other states can then follow the federal or California standards.
The auto industry has sued California and Vermont in an attempt to block the regulation, arguing that emissions standards are de-facto fuel-economy standards that can be set only by the federal government.
