He’s got energy

January 26th, 2009 at 09:08am Jennie Pollock

In his first week in office, President Obama is expected today to give states the power to tighten their auto emission standards. Here’s the context, from the AP:

On car emissions, the Clean Air Act gives California special authority to regulate vehicle pollution because the state began regulating such pollution before the federal government did. But a federal waiver is still required; if the waiver is granted, other states can choose to adopt California’s standards or the federal ones.

But in 2007 the Bush administration’s Environmental Protection Agency denied California’s request, gaining praise from the auto industry but touching off a storm of investigations and lawsuits from Democrats and environmental groups who contended the denial was based on political instead of scientific reasons.

California’s proposed restrictions would force automakers to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent in new cars and light trucks by 2016.

At least 13 other states — Arizona, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington — have already adopted California’s standards, and they have been under consideration elsewhere, too.

Entry Filed under: Energy