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Gov. Gregoire calls for filing lawsuit in support of �clean� car standards

For Immediate Release: December 20, 2007

OLYMPIA � Governor Chris Gregoire today announced that Washington state would seek legal action against the federal government over clean air laws designed to reduce global warming pollution from our state�s automobiles.

�The Bush Administration�s decision to deny states the right to pass environmental protections to fight global warming is wrong,� said Gov. Gregoire. �Washington cannot wait for permission to do the right thing for our state�s environment and future generations.�

In October, Washington joined California in a lawsuit against the federal government to allow the state, along with other states, to require that all new cars sold in Washington be �clean cars.�

Washington is one of 16 states that have adopted the California clean car standards, which address tailpipe emissions of both air toxins and greenhouse gases (CO2). To take effect, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must approve a petition filed by California that would waive certain less-stringent standards that have been adopted by the EPA. Since the 1970s, EPA has quickly granted every waiver � more than 40 � requested by California. Wednesday�s action by the EPA was the first time a waiver was denied under the federal Clean Air Act.

�I have requested our Attorney General file in support of California�s challenge to this decision as soon as possible,� said Gov. Gregoire.

Half of Washington�s greenhouse gas emissions are from cars and trucks. Putting the California standards into action would mean the equivalent of eliminating 690,000 cars from Washington�s roads in 2020. Without the waiver, each year millions of metric tons of greenhouse gases, which otherwise would be eliminated, will instead continue to spew into our atmosphere.

California standards would start 2 years sooner than federal (energy bill), and be fully phased in 4 years sooner.

Although the energy bill requires a fleet-wide average of 35 mpg by 2020, California officials say the state law would result in a 36-mpg average four years earlier.
California's law would also regulate a broader spectrum of greenhouse gases, including refrigerants from vehicle air conditioners, and it governs the emissions of a range of alternative fuels, not just gasoline. Under a waiver, California, Washington and other states could tighten their emission rules beyond 2020.

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