The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday, June 30, 2009, granted the state of California’s waiver that enables it to enforce tougher greenhouse gas emission standards for vehicles, thereby overturning the decision of the previous agency administration.

“With the decision to grant the California waiver, EPA returns to its traditional legal interpretation of the Clean Air Act that has been applied consistently during the past 40 years,” the EPA said in a statement.

“EPA finds that California continues to have a need for its motor vehicle emissions program, including the greenhouse gas standards,” the agency said.

The California Air Resources Board first requested the waiver in December, 2005, to exercise authority to impose stricter air pollution standards for motor vehicles compared with the national rules. The request was denied in March, 2008, by then EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson.

The granting of the waiver supports the initiative of 13 other states, which have opted to follow California’s lead.

In May, US Pres. Barack Obama announced new standards for the fuel efficiency for cars and trucks that will ultimately require average fuel economy standard of 35.5 MPG in 2016.

Under Obama’s announcement, national fuel efficiency will increase by an average of 5% each year between 2012 and 2016, based on the 2011 standard previously set.

California and the 13 other states’ fuel efficiency and other greenhouse gas-related standards might now exceed these national benchmarks.


-  Eric Dorente

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Source:

¹ http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69d/...