Another thing to look forward to if a progressive candidate is elected in 2008: taking back the EPA. Late yesterday evening, the EPA handed down a decision barring California and 16 other states from setting their own standards for carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles. California approved legislation in 2004 to force car companies to cut emissions 30 percent by 2016 and raise fuel economy standards to approximately 43 miles per gallon but the legislation had languished since then as the Bush administration dragged its feet on a making a decision. The reason for barring California from enacting their standards? EPA administrator Stephen L. Johnson says the new energy bill raising fuel efficiency standards to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 makes California's policy unnecessary, and it's better if states don't take matters into their own hands.
The California legislation is much tougher than the new federal rules, so it's pretty out of line to say that the relatively weak federal rules preempt it. The 17 states included in this ruling make up more than half the country's population, meaning they would bring the majority of the country light years ahead of the milquetoast new federal standards. David Roberts has a good rundown of all the other reasons Johnson is full of crap.
California and green groups are pledging to sue, but even if they win, further delay will set their plan off course, as it was supposed to go into effect with the 2009 model year for cars and trucks. The Bush administration is using its last dying breaths to thwart as much progress as possible on climate change, and is likely to continue to do so through the end. While it's been positive to see states taking the lead on these issues, this is just another reminder why federal leadership on these issues is so imperative.
--Kate Sheppard
