| California state officials asked the federal | | | | responding to private desires," said Dan Sperling, a |
| government to impose the strictest controls on | | | | professor at the University of California Davis. "A |
| tailpipe emissions in the country reducing carbon | | | | patchwork of state-level fuel economy regulations as |
| dioxide by 30 percent by 2016. This move is | | | | is now proposed by California is not just unnecessary |
| expected to force automakers to average more | | | | but actually counter-productive," said Steven Douglas, |
| than 40 miles per gallon in the next decade. Eleven | | | | the director of environmental affairs for the Alliance |
| states, including Maine, have adopted California's | | | | of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group that |
| regulations, but they are on hold pending the | | | | represents major automakers including General |
| outcome of auto industry legal challenges. | | | | Motors Corp., the Ford Motor Co., DaimlerChrysler AG |
| The state has instituted a requirement that would | | | | and the Toyota Motor Corp. |
| force automakers to reduce carbon dioxide emissions | | | | Automakers are fighting the regulations and finally put |
| from vehicles starting September 2008. Eleven states | | | | a halt to its implementation. The stirring desire to |
| have adopted its regulations, including New York, | | | | avoid it on a number of fronts is expected to create |
| Maryland, Rhode Island and Vermont. A waiver from | | | | swift halt likened to EBC brakes. They have filed |
| EPA is required in order to put the rule into effect. | | | | three federal lawsuits challenging the regulations in |
| "California can regulate first as it has in the past," said | | | | California, Vermont and Rhode Island. In those suits, |
| Robert Sawyer, the chairman of the California Air | | | | automakers have said that the regulations could |
| Resources Board, noting California's "unique needs for | | | | force it to add expensive improvements and stop |
| its own motor vehicle program." | | | | selling some of its heaviest vehicles. |
| The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier | | | | Separately, Congress is considering several proposals |
| held a day-long hearing suburban Washington to | | | | to dramatically increase corporate average fuel |
| tackle the issue. The federal agency has taken no | | | | economy. U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich, said that his |
| action since California sought the waiver in 2005. It | | | | goal is to have an alternative bill to submit when the |
| only scheduled the hearing after the Supreme Court | | | | legislation reaches the Senate floor in early June. |
| ruled in April that the EPA has the express authority | | | | "We're working very hard, and I hope that we will," |
| to regulate greenhouse gases and tailpipe emissions | | | | he said. Levin has been meeting with his colleagues |
| as an air pollutant under the Clean Air Act. | | | | seeking to soften the current fuel economy proposal. |
| "Global warming is happening now," Sawyer noted. He | | | | He said earlier that a draconian fuel economy |
| also stressed the international consensus in a series | | | | proposal could bankrupt Chrysler Group, given its |
| of reports. He pointed to the shrinking of glaciers | | | | heavy reliance on light trucks. |
| around the globe and shifts in climate that will lead to | | | | Last week, Levin and other Michigan Democrats, |
| the disappearance of snow from Mt. Kilimanjaro in | | | | including Gov. Jennifer Granholm, signed on to a |
| Africa, for example. He said that California's wine and | | | | proposal that would exempt auto manufacturers |
| tourism industries are at risk, noting its temperature | | | | from fuel economy requirements through 2020 if |
| has increase 0.7 degrees over the last 100 years, | | | | they agreed to produce all vehicles to run on flexible |
| raising sea levels. | | | | fuels like E85. |
| Automakers said that the new regulations will cost | | | | That brought stormy reactions from Democrats, |
| billions and do little to improve the world's | | | | including committee chairwoman Sen. Barbara Boxer, |
| environment because other countries will continue to | | | | D-Calif. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., dismissively |
| pollute. It will, they added, create a complex web of | | | | cited Inhofe's famous declaration that global warming |
| regulations. California said that emissions controls are | | | | is 'the greatest hoax in human history.' "This 'hoax' is |
| much lower today and that automakers have used | | | | taking over place after place after place," Lautenberg |
| efficiency gains to improve horsepower and increase | | | | said, pointing to shrinking glaciers and other |
| size rather than increase fuel economy. | | | | phenomena that may be linked to climate change. |
| Automakers should improve fuel economy "instead of | | | | |