In a formal announcement made from the East Wing of the White House early Monday morning, President Obama said that he would like the EPA to formally reconsider an application set forth by 14 states to voluntarily impose their own auto greenhouse gas emission standards. The directive comes as a sharp departure from the policies put forth by the previous administration, and is a victory for environmentalists everywhere.
The announcement came alongside an order to the Department of Transportation to begin redrafting federal MPG standards.
As it now stands, federal authority eclipses state’s rights to pass their own restrictions on auto emissions. A point of contingency during the Bush administration, the federal law was upheld under the assumption that auto companies would not be able to meet the stricter standards proposed, or would be unable to split their production lines to cater to each state individually.
If the EPA overturns the decision, as it is expected to do, states like California, New York, Massachusetts and 11 others will be granted the right to regulate the amount of greenhouse gas emitted by vehicles purchased in their state. California, already a leader in air quality standards, is expected to be one of strictest states of all.
You can read more about it here (New York Times) and here (Wall Street Journal)
