Sun editorial:

A victory for clean air

EPA gives state OK to seek lower emissions and better fuel mileage from new vehicles

Friday, July 3, 2009 | 2:07 a.m.

One reason the Bush administration had a poor record on the environment was its stubborn refusal to embrace a basic philosophy: Americans can reduce both harmful greenhouse gas emissions and the country’s dependence on foreign oil by driving more fuel-efficient vehicles.

President Barack Obama, in stark contrast, proved in May that he would not bow to grumbling automakers or Big Oil when he announced a national fuel standard, which will require new cars and small trucks sold in the United States to reduce tailpipe emissions by 30 percent and average 35.5 miles a gallon fleetwide, both by 2016.

His administration’s Environmental Protection Agency continued that momentum Tuesday by granting California permission to implement regulations that would contain the same fuel economy and emission goals by 2016 for new vehicles sold in that state.

Because the new national standard had been announced, the EPA’s approval of California’s regulation was largely symbolic. But it proved that the agency under Obama is far more sensitive to the environmental concerns of individual states than was true under Bush.

The prior administration refused to give California a waiver to the federal Clean Air Act that would have enabled the state to enact a pollution reduction law it passed in 2002.

The reversal by the EPA under Obama prompted California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to tell the Associated Press: “After being asleep at the wheel ... the federal government has finally stepped in.”

While the EPA irons out details of the national policy, the green light given to California will help ensure there is no foot-dragging on the part of any reluctant automakers. That’s because California’s regulation requires automakers to gradually reduce emissions in each year from now through 2016. Though the national regulation won’t kick in until 2012, California will be getting a head start.

California wields enormous clout as the nation’s most populous state, so much so that 13 other states have said they are prepared to adopt similar regulations. It is good to see that so many states are willing to embrace the same environmentally friendly standards.

It’s too bad Nevada hasn’t yet been willing to join those other states by following California’s lead.

Discussion: 4 comments so far…

By Houstonjac

7/3/09 at 4:22 a.m.

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A companion piece of legislation on "cap and trade" now before the Senate should be stopped cold in it's tracks.
The House action to pass the bill on carbon emissions is a disaster for U.S. citizens who will be forced to pay alarming increases in their electric bills. This bill's passage also fails to acknowledge and capitalize on the enormous advantage that this nation holds in coal resources. In fact it will blunt and penalize the use of coal, and unwittingly shift an undue burden to the development of costly and scarce renewable energy resources from the sun, geothermal and wind. This is a short sighted bill that with passage by the Senate will lead to more unemployment and inflated energy prices,just at the time when millions of Americans are struggling with a serious economic downturn. It clearly demonstrates the arbitrary and capricious attitude of the Obama administration and the Pelosi led House Democrats. The only chance now for a sane resolution of this enormously burdensome and ill timed proposed legislation rests with the Senate.
By uddeboda

7/3/09 at 4:42 a.m.

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Houston

I understand your plight and concern for the millions without work, loosing their homes etc etc etc, but this climate thing hasnt just "come up" during the last couple of years.
It has been a well known fact the greenhouse gases were on the increase at the end of the 50s, and when the first oil scare came in the early 70s, some countries saw the writing on the wall even then. They didnt wait to see how things would turn out, they did something about the situation. The USA did nothing, just the same old way forward, build more coal power stations, because coal was cheap, and you are still building more, even if they emit less GHGs. The Kyoto Treaty was thrown out by the Bush dictatorship, and, Bush had been advised by the fossil lobbyists that it would hurt their profits, so for a further 8 yrs the USA did nothing. Now theres a new kid in the W House who wants to change things, fairly quick by all accounts. If a gradual transition had been started 40 years ago, the USA today would be completely different.
Of course prices will increase, the USA have been living in cloud cuckoo land with low energy prices for decades, but now the semester is over, put your tin hats on and prepare for really hard times for the next few decades ahead
By Future

7/3/09 at 5:41 a.m.

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As the LV Sun points out "Because the new national standard had been announced, the EPA's approval of California's regulation was largely symbolic"

"President Barack Obama, in stark contrast, proved in May that he would not bow to grumbling automakers..."

LOL - Obama is the automaker.

Taxpayers owned two of the big three at the time.

Congress under too big to Fail Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi passed the CAFE law that Bush was enforcing. Obama voted for it. The CA rule made litte change for the Federal CAFE rules.
By El_Lobo

7/3/09 at 8:33 a.m.

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I'm not surprised that Houstonjac said what he/she did....Those on the right would love to see us return to the year 1901 if that was possible... Nothing new from Future......same old, same old rant.

uddeboda has it right......we should have started way back in the 60's & 70's working toward the use of renewable energy and cutting back on our use of fossil fuels...

We should be leading the world in the use of renewable energy....our future as a nation may well depend upon how we approach & solve the current energy debacle that we find ourselves in...

We haven't move forward on energy due largely to the greed factor which is responsibile for much of the mess that we currently find ourselves in...the fact that we import 70% of the oil that we use is beyond scary.

American oil companies aren't truly interested in drilling for more oil in this country, whether it's in Alaska or off-shore.

They're making billions & billions of dollars in profit by importing & using foreign oil.....why would they want to change anything?

To talk about a "free market" and supply & demand when it comes to oil is silly.....the oil companies are part of a world-wide cartel.

At one time this country was where it was happening....if it was worth manufacturing, we were doing it....we were great at building a better mouse trap.....but that's no longer true.

Obama has it right.....it's time to tackle the big problems that face us. Health care & energy are at the top of the list. Rebuilding our infrastructure isn't far behind health care & energy.

The right-wingers need to be willing to move forward or get the hell out of the way and allow progress to take over....

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