Environmental Group Sues EPA Over California Decision

By Evander Klum

The call to arms against the increasing threat of global warming has called the auto industry into action. States in the United States are also making steps forward in reducing greenhouse gas emission of vehicles. California is in the forefront of this battle. Its emission standard is the toughest so far in the country. But recently, the state was forced not to implement its own emission standard after the Environmental Protection Agency decided that it should follow the national standards.

The decision of the EPA is met with much criticism especially after the fact that California was originally cleared to implement its own emission standard as long as it is much tougher than the national standard. This criticism has taken a step forward as five environmental groups have filed a case to dismiss the decision of the EPA.

The Conservation Law Foundation, Environmental Defense, International Center for Technology Assessment, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Sierra Club joined hands to petition the decision. They have their suit in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco.

Jim Tripp, the general counsel of Environmental Defense, criticized the EPA saying: "While global warming marches onward, EPA continues to drag its feet. The agency's decision defies the law, the science and the will of states representing nearly half of the U.S. population."

According to The Auto Channel, California's own stringent emission standard is scheduled to take effect on 2009 model year vehicles. The standard will ensure a reduction of 30 percent in greenhouse gas production by 2016. The said program would have been the first of its kind in the United States and is considered by environmentalists to be a positive step in the battle against global warming.

The standards formulated by California is said to be very good for the environment that sixteen other states have adopted or committed to adopt the standard. Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and Washington states would then be supporting California in its fight against the decision of the EPA.

"The Administrator's denial of California's request relies on a flawed argument that the federal courts already have rejected," said Tripp. "We've won before in the federal courts, so we expect to win again this time too."

Karen Douglas, the director of the California Climate Initiative of Environmental Defense, added: "California has long played a pioneering role in clean air efforts. We can and must reduce global warming pollution from automobiles." California's standards would have meant that vehicles to be sold in the state should have limited greenhouse gas emission along with their reliable auto parts such as the Acura clutch.