| The call to arms against the increasing | | | | saying: "While global warming marches |
| threat of global warming has called the auto | | | | onward, EPA continues to drag its feet. The |
| industry into action. States in the United | | | | agency's decision defies the law, the science |
| States are also making steps forward in | | | | and the will of states representing nearly |
| reducing greenhouse gas emission of vehicles. | | | | half of the U.S. population." |
| California is in the forefront of this | | | | |
| battle. Its emission standard is the | | | | According to The Auto Channel, California's |
| toughest so far in the country. But | | | | own stringent emission standard is scheduled |
| recently, the state was forced not to | | | | to take effect on 2009 model year vehicles. |
| implement its own emission standard after the | | | | The standard will ensure a reduction of 30 |
| Environmental Protection Agency decided that | | | | percent in greenhouse gas production by 2016. |
| it should follow the national standards. | | | | The said program would have been the first |
| | | | of its kind in the United States and is |
| The decision of the EPA is met with much | | | | considered by environmentalists to be a |
| criticism especially after the fact that | | | | positive step in the battle against global |
| California was originally cleared to | | | | warming. |
| implement its own emission standard as long | | | | |
| as it is much tougher than the national | | | | The standards formulated by California is |
| standard. This criticism has taken a step | | | | said to be very good for the environment that |
| forward as five environmental groups have | | | | sixteen other states have adopted or |
| filed a case to dismiss the decision of the | | | | committed to adopt the standard. Arizona, |
| EPA. | | | | Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maine, |
| | | | Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New |
| The Conservation Law Foundation, | | | | Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode |
| Environmental Defense, International Center | | | | Island, Utah, Vermont, and Washington states |
| for Technology Assessment, Natural Resources | | | | would then be supporting California in its |
| Defense Council, and the Sierra Club joined | | | | fight against the decision of the EPA. |
| hands to petition the decision. They have | | | | |
| their suit in the United States Court of | | | | "The Administrator's denial of California's |
| Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San | | | | request relies on a flawed argument that the |
| Francisco. | | | | federal courts already have rejected," said |
| | | | Tripp. "We've won before in the federal |
| Jim Tripp, the general counsel of | | | | courts, so we expect to win again this time |
| Environmental Defense, criticized the EPA | | | | too. |