December 17, 2007
U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Ishii in Fresno ruled Wednesday that California can set its own standards for greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. The decision is a blow to automakers, who have said only the federal government can regulate tailpipe emissions. There was a similar federal court ruling in Vermont in September (see CalNGV News, 9.24.07).
California still needs a waiver from the EPA to be allowed to implement its rules under the Clean Air Act. California sued the EPA in November to force a ruling (see CalNGV News, 11.19.07); the agency has said it will make a decision by the end of this year. The EPA decision will affect 16 other states that have adopted California’s rules.
For details, see the San Francisco Chronicle article at www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/13/MN9QTSTAB.DTL.
Courtesy of CNGVC, www.cngvc.org.