Gov. Gregoire Joins 13 Governors in Criticizing EPA for Blocking State�s Rights to Reduce Vehicle Emissions

For Immediate Release: January 24, 2008

WASHINGTON � Gov. Chris Gregoire today joined 13 other governors in urging Congress to hold the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accountable to the federal Clean Air Act.

Gregoire said their aim is to force the EPA to reconsider its decision to deny California a waiver to impose tougher clean air standards than federal law requires. Nineteen other states, including Washington, want to set the same standards.

The governors, represented by the governors of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Vermont, outlined their position to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works today. Portions of the governors� letter to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson were read before committee members.

�I�m extremely disappointed in the EPA�s recent decision to block states� rights to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles,� Gregoire said. �It flies in the face of clear and unequivocal judicial decisions affirming states� rights to set their own standards.�

Last month, Gregoire 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,� she said. �Washington cannot wait for permission to do the right thing for our state�s environment and future generations.�

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. To take effect, the 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, the EPA has quickly granted every waiver � more than 40 � requested by California.

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.

California�s law would also regulate a broader spectrum of greenhouse gases, including refrigerants from vehicle air conditioners. It also 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.

Under the California standards, cleaner cars in the 20 states will reduce 682 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, the equivalent to taking more than 135 million cars off the road. The federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards alone would reduce just 367 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, 85 percent less effective at reducing the pollution that is worsening global warming.

States that have adopted, or have committed to adopting, California's strict automobile emissions standards are Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Washington.

# # #