Autoblog

Senator Barbara Boxer said regarding the EPA's denial of California's waiver request: "Administrator Johnson's decision to deny the waiver was not supported by the facts, by the law, by the science, or by precedent. I will use every available tool to ensure that California and the nation are able to reduce the pollution that causes global warming. One of those tools is legislation that essentially overturns Mr. Johnson's actions."

The bill is in response to the discovery that the EPA's own documents that say that California has "compelling and extraordinary conditions" that would satisfy reasons for granting a waiver. In spite of those internal findings, Steven Johnson, EPA chief, denied the waiver, saying "it is my view that California does not have a need for these greenhouse gas standards to meet compelling and extraordinary conditions."

The internal EPA briefings also conclude that if the auto industry sued the EPA to overturn its new regulations, that the EPA would win. However, if California were to sue for its own standards, that California would win. So Boxer and seventeen senatorial colleagues (15 D, 2 R) have introduced a bill that would compel the EPA to grant the Golden State its wishes. And if California gets what it wants, then 18 states are in line right behind it to adhere to the higher standards.

[Source: Green Car Congress]