
U.S. Senate to consider state-by-state emissions laws
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Spearheaded by California Senator Barbara Boxer, a coalition of 17 states are seeking the ability to control vehicle emissions regulations within their borders as they see fit. The central point of contention is a decision by the Environmental Protection Agency last year that refused to allow the states a waiver to institute a 30 percent reduction in vehicle emissions.
The EPA's decision to prohibit individual states from tightening emissions regulations is supported by the auto industry, which could face a nightmare scenario of literally a dozen or more different emissions schemes it would have to meet to sell cars in all 50 U.S. states, reports
The Detroit News. The overhead required to engineer and manage cars for each - or the cost involved in making the entire fleet meet the strictest standards - would potentially be enormous.
The Bush administration likewise is advocating its Clean Air Act as a national solution, avoiding the 'patchwork' or ad hoc implementation that would result if the matter were left up to each state.
The bill was introduced by the 17 senators in January and will go before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee next week.
The State of California has developed a reputation for fighting any way it can to reduce tailpipe emissions. In 2006, the
state sued the auto industry for damaging the state with greenhouse gases. The case was eventually
tossed out of court, but the state continues to seek ways to require reduced emissions for cars sold within its borders.
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By chris Posted: 5/15/2008 3:17pm PDT
If california wants to be a state of vehicles no larger than a mazda 5, let them.
By MyWheelsOnWalls.com Posted: 5/15/2008 3:37pm PDT
Go Bab's your such a genious!!!!
By Roy Posted: 5/15/2008 5:04pm PDT
By HECTOR Posted: 5/15/2008 6:06pm PDT
This new idiocy will have the same effect, basically forcing manufacturers to build cars to cater to the whims of aparatchiks in State capitols. And then pass the costs to the consummers.
By Jim Posted: 5/16/2008 8:00am PDT
A free for all of emissions standards would be a nightmare but the situation that exists today where there is a Federal standard and a California standard, with the other states being able to choose one or the other works fine.
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