WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency will announce today that it is granting California's request to impose tough restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks -- reversing the Bush administration's position and opening the way for the state to take the lead on global-warming policy.
California developed the standards in 2004 but was barred from implementing them.
EPA officials say granting California the waiver from federal standards gives the state wide latitude to promulgate stricter rules, restoring a 40-year interpretation of the Clean Air Act.
"It preserves California's role as a leader on clean air policy," particularly on motor vehicles, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said in an interview. "It feels good to know that we are able to move past -- address -- this issue, responding to the president's call."
President Obama had criticized the Bush EPA's denial and, shortly after his inauguration, ordered the agency to revisit it.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called the decision a "huge step for our emerging green economy that will create thousands of new jobs and bring Californians the cars they want while reducing greenhouse gas emissions."
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), a longtime advocate of the waiver, said the EPA did "what is right for the people of California, the environment and the many states in the union that intend to follow California's lead in cleaning up tailpipe emissions."
But critics said the EPA should not give up federal control of climate policy.
"California already has experience in adopting differential regulations for gasoline and electricity," said Scott Segal, an attorney for Bracewell and Giuliani in Washington, which represents utilities and refiners on climate change policy. "In each case, the results have been high prices for consumers, small businesses, schools, hospitals and industry. The precedent set here for cars could be just as damaging."
Today's decision sets the stage for the proposed national vehicle emissions standards that Obama announced in May: New cars and trucks sold in the U.S. will be required to improve their fuel efficiency gradually over the next seven years, reaching an average of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016 -- a 40% improvement over the current 25 mpg level. The federal government agrees to adopt California's standards as its own, and the state agrees not to toughen the standards before 2017. Automakers agree to drop lawsuits against California's standards.
