Obama grants California authority to tighten emissions standards
Wed 04 February 2009
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US President Barack Obama has signed a directive to grant California a waiver to set strict vehicle emissions standards from cars and light trucks at the end of January . California has been pushing since 2002 for the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s permission to enforce a law that would require automakers to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from new vehicles by 30 percent by 2016. Under the Clean Air Act, California is the only state that can enforce its own standards but only with an EPA waiver. Granting the waiver for California should affect nearly half the U.S. auto market according to the Washington Post. Thirteen other states have already adopted California’s proposal, while at least four others have pledged to do so if the EPA granted the waiver.
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers opposed California’s request, arguing it would force car makers to boost efficiency significantly above levels already est by federal law. Auto dealers last week also complained that it would not make sense to grant California’s request while the federal government is in the middle of extending billions in loans to keep General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC afloat. Meanwhile, the environmental NGO sector welcomed the news. Karen Wayland, legislative director at the Natural Resources Defense Council said: “This signals a new direction in energy and global warming policy. … We were hoping for great things with the administration, and we’re pleased that within the first week this is something we’re seeing.”
The New York Times reported that Mr. Obama will also direct the Department of Transportation to immediately begin drafting automobile fuel-economy regulations to comply with a law enacted in December 2007.
The Obama administration’s has since ushered in a $825 billion economic recovery package, the so-called “New Green Deal" which makes reference to energy generation, funding for public transportation and energy-efficiency projects, as well as investment in clean water and environmental restoration.The package aims to revive the economy by directing massive new investment into cleaner, more efficient and reliable energy infrastructure. It also calls for the rapid and aggressive use of renewable energy, energy efficiency investments, a smarter energy grid and effective use of clean fossil fuels, such as natural gas.
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