In other words, EPA is blocking states from implementing meaningful standards for automobile emissions simply by refusing to process its mail. In “EPA gets push on emissions controls,” The Baltimore Sun reports that Maryland is held back from implementing the California emissions standards (developed by the California Air Resources Board, or CARB) that it voted to adopt last spring because EPA has not yet given its OK to California; these standards are heavily opposed by automakers. California is the only state that has the right to create these standards due to federal law, subject to EPA approval of a “California Waiver”. Other states are allowed to follow suit once the waiver is passed. EPA has said that it may make a decision by the end of the year- notably, California will have been waiting two years since it first enacted the legislation. EPA claims that it is processing over 60,000 comments and technical reports on the legislation. I read elsewhere that 50,000 of these comments are actually form cards from environmental groups that were filled out in support of the bill. Isn’t that ironic? I want to say that I heard this attributed to Barbara Boxer. Kudos to Maryland legislators:
“It’s very important that states be able to move forward, particularly until we can have an enforceable federal cap in place,” said Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, a Maryland Democrat who is one of the lawmakers backing legislation that would require the agency to issue a ruling by Sept. 30. “Unfortunately, inaction is action.”
“If we can find some ways to mitigate in small ways the things that we do in the aggregate, like burn carbon fuel, if we can limit that even just a little bit, it can have a salutary impact,” said state Sen. Brian E. Frosh, a Montgomery County Democrat who sponsored the legislation in Maryland. “The way that that works the best is to have national standards. And when you can’t have that … having states do it individually is the second best way.”
“If you look over the history of the automobile industry’s position on reductions in emissions, safety improvements, they’re always crying wolf,” Frosh said. “They always claim that the apocalypse is just around the corner. … The only way these guys make changes that are to the benefit of consumers and to the benefit of the environment is when EPA or the Congress tells them they’ve got to do it.”
First EPA says that greenhouse gases are not air pollutants. Then they say that even if they are, they are not required to regulate them. Then the Supreme Court tells them they are wrong. And now they drag their feet. To top it all off, the Department of Transportation has been lobbying Congress using language from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers in Washington, an industry lobby that represents the likes of “Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen and other automakers”:
According to the transcript, a staff member in Peters’ office asks if the unidentified lawmaker plans to submit comments to the EPA, because “if California were to receive this waiver it could lead to a patchwork of regulations on vehicle emissions which could have significant impacts on the light truck and car industry” and “would greatly impact the auto facilities within your district.”
“Just hit the members/senators with the really big facilities,” an aide to Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters wrote to department staff in a June e-mail. “No need to call those with small distribution centers or anything.”
This administration is one of absolute gall. Pass the darn waiver already.
cross-posted at www.local-warming.blogspot.com
