ViolaLee
12-21-2007, 06:25 AM
(CNN) -- California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to sue the federal government over its decision not to allow a California plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, he announced Thursday.
Environmental Protection Agency chief Stephen Johnson announced the decision Wednesday, refusing the state's request for a waiver that would have allowed it to cut emissions faster than a new federal plan the president signed into law Wednesday.
"It's another example of the administration's failure to treat global warming with the seriousness that it actually demands," the governor said at a news conference Thursday.
Bush on Thursday defended the decision of his EPA administrator.
"Is it more effective to let each state make a decision as to how to proceed in curbing greenhouse gases? Or is it more effective to have a national strategy?" he said.
Citing the new energy law -- which sets a fuel economy standard for the whole country -- Bush said Johnson "made a decision based upon the fact that we passed a piece of legislation that enables us to have a national strategy."
But Schwarzenegger said he would like to set a higher standard for California. "Anything less than aggressive action on the greatest environmental threat of all time is inexcusable," he said.
Watch Schwarzenegger slam the Bush administration for denying California the waiver (http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/20/california.emissions/#cnnSTCVideo)
The new federal law will increase fuel efficiency standards by 40 percent by 2020, requiring automakers to bring their fleets to an average of 35 miles per gallon.
The California plan, however, would cut emissions by nearly 30 percent by 2016, raising fuel efficiency standards in the state to 43.7 miles per gallon for passenger cars and some SUVs and trucks, while larger vehicles would need to reach 26.9 mpg by that year.
In all, 16 states had either adopted California's tough standards or announced plans to do so.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/20/california.emissions/
Bush never ceases to amaze me. The EPA under Bush doesn't give a rat's ass about protecting the environment.
Go Arnold! One of the few Republicans I really like.
Environmental Protection Agency chief Stephen Johnson announced the decision Wednesday, refusing the state's request for a waiver that would have allowed it to cut emissions faster than a new federal plan the president signed into law Wednesday.
"It's another example of the administration's failure to treat global warming with the seriousness that it actually demands," the governor said at a news conference Thursday.
Bush on Thursday defended the decision of his EPA administrator.
"Is it more effective to let each state make a decision as to how to proceed in curbing greenhouse gases? Or is it more effective to have a national strategy?" he said.
Citing the new energy law -- which sets a fuel economy standard for the whole country -- Bush said Johnson "made a decision based upon the fact that we passed a piece of legislation that enables us to have a national strategy."
But Schwarzenegger said he would like to set a higher standard for California. "Anything less than aggressive action on the greatest environmental threat of all time is inexcusable," he said.
Watch Schwarzenegger slam the Bush administration for denying California the waiver (http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/20/california.emissions/#cnnSTCVideo)
The new federal law will increase fuel efficiency standards by 40 percent by 2020, requiring automakers to bring their fleets to an average of 35 miles per gallon.
The California plan, however, would cut emissions by nearly 30 percent by 2016, raising fuel efficiency standards in the state to 43.7 miles per gallon for passenger cars and some SUVs and trucks, while larger vehicles would need to reach 26.9 mpg by that year.
In all, 16 states had either adopted California's tough standards or announced plans to do so.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/20/california.emissions/
Bush never ceases to amaze me. The EPA under Bush doesn't give a rat's ass about protecting the environment.
Go Arnold! One of the few Republicans I really like.