The Environmental Protection Agency?s (EPA) December decision to prevent California from regulating automobile emissions beyond national standards may have puzzled some but not me. The way I see it they [EPA] are conceding to the auto manufacturers in this matter. The auto makers are not wanting this to pass.
So EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, ( a Bush appointee) totally ignored his staffs advice that California and other states had good reason to enact global warming pollution standards higher than the federal rules and denied a waiver required for states to move forward with tougher emission control standards.
Apparently EPA staffers presented evidence to Johnson last year that shows California has met the “compelling and extraordinary conditions” needed under the Clean Air Act for the EPA to approve regulations set by the state. Staff members made a strong case for California and 18 other states to proceed with its greenhouse gas regulations. After dragging its heels for weeks the agency has allowed Sen. Barbara Boxer‘s (D California ) staff to see the documents this week. He [Johnson] Should be on the hot seat today when he appears before Boxer’s, Environment and Public Works Committee.
Initially the EPA refused to turn over any documents to Boxer’s committee. Then when they finally did turn them over they had many of the pages “whited” out. When Boxer raised objections the EPA agreed to allow staff members to see the documents but they could not photocopy them and ended up hand transcribing the documents that were then released to reporters. “This information belongs to the American people,” Boxer said. “It’s shameful that we’ve had to go through such a torturous process to get it.”
California feels they have greater risk from impacts of global warming than most other states do. Something that is supported by scientists at the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This is one that is headed for the courts.