California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday announced his intent to file a lawsuit to challenge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) denial of California's tailpipe emissions waiver request.
Schwarzenegger said he would file the lawsuit in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals "as soon as possible," which is expected to be within the next three weeks.
"I am extremely disappointed by EPA's decision to block the will of millions of people in California and 16 other states who want us to take tough action against global warming," the governor said.
The EPA on Wednesday denied California's long-standing request for a waiver from federal law to implement its own regulations to slash greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.
In announcing the decision, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson said, "The Bush administration is moving forward with a clear national solution -- not a confusing patchwork of state rules."
"EPA's denial of our waiver request to enact the nation's cleanest standards for vehicle emissions is legally indefensible and another example of the failure to treat climate change with the seriousness it demands," Schwarzenegger said.
"We will sue to overturn this ruling as quickly as possible. I have no doubt that we will prevail because the law, science and the public's demand for leadership are on our side. Anything less than aggressive action is inexcusable."
The California law calls for a 30-percent cut in tailpipe and other vehicle emissions by 2016 and is a key piece of the state's aggressive efforts to reduce global warming.
Under the U.S. Clean Air Act, California is entitled to impose stricter air pollution standards than the federal government as long as it first obtains a waiver. In the last three decades, more than 40 such waivers have been issued.
By implementing these standards, California would be eliminating greenhouse gases equivalent to taking 6.5 million cars off the road by the year 2020. If all the other states with similar plans follow through, that figure would grow to nearly 22 million vehicles and would cut gasoline consumption by an estimated 11 billion gallons a year.
Over the last year, Schwarzenegger has lobbied the federal government, meeting and sending letters to both President George W. Bush and Johnson.
Last month, the governor announced California's lawsuit against the agency for failing to act.
"California's vehicle greenhouse gas standards are part of a carefully designed, comprehensive program to fight climate change through 2050," said Schwarzenegger.
"It is disappointing that the federal government is standing in our way and ignoring the will of tens of millions of people across the nation. We will continue to fight this battle," he said.
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article