May 22

The Senate environment committee, chaired by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., has approved a bill that would force the EPA to allow California to enforce its own law limiting greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles.

EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, in a controversial decision in December 2007, rejected California´s request for a waiver that would have allowed the state to limit greenhouse gas emissions for new cars sold in the state.

"Administrator Johnson´s decision to deny the waiver was not supported by the facts, by the law, by the science or by precedent," Boxer said after the committee narrowly approved the measure 10-9 on May 21.

Fourteen other states either had adopted California´s standard or were in the process of adopting it.

However, the victory in committee likely will not reverse the EPA´s denial. Even if the measure passed both houses, it would almost certainly face a presidential veto.

Contact Waste News reporter Bruce Geiselman at (330) 865-6172 or bgeiselman@crain.com

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