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