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