EPA denies California waiver on auto emissions

By Janet Wilson
Los Angeles Times

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson today denied California's long-standing request for a waiver from federal law to be able to implement its own landmark regulations to slash greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.

"He denied the whole thing," said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's communications director, Adam Mendelsohn.

"I am extremely disappointed yet again with the Bush administration's unwillingness to address this critical issue," Schwarzenegger said in a statement.

Johnson, in announcing his decision, said, "The Bush administration is moving forward with a clear national solution -- not a confusing patchwork of state rules."

The California law calls for a 30% cut in tailpipe and other vehicle emissions by 2016 and is a key piece of the state's aggressive efforts to reduce global warming.

Under the U.S. Clean Air Act, California is entitled to impose stricter air pollution standards than the federal government as long as it first obtains a waiver. In the last three decades, more than 40 such waivers have been issued.