MARKEY: EPA HEARING ON AUTO EMISSIONS STALLS CALIF. AND 11 OTHER STATES

Washington, DC - Standing side by side with the states pushing the federal government on global warming at a federal hearing today, Chairman Edward Markey (D-MA) of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming voiced his support for the right of states to cut heat-trapping emissions from vehicles. California and eight other states are testifying before the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today to win approval to proceed with their clean car tailpipe standards.

This hearing follows a confusing week from the Bush administration on their plans to cut vehicle emissions. Last Monday the President at a Rose Garden press conference, instructed his Cabinet agencies to work together to come up with a plan to cut gasoline use and global warming emissions, even though the plan would not be completed until three weeks before he left office.

In statements immediately following that announcement, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson backpedaled, saying that even the recent Supreme Court case on his agency’s authority to cut emissions would not necessarily mean they would do so. Johnson cited the dissenting opinion of Justice Antonin Scalia, dismissing the majority opinion from the Court that EPA had the authority to cut emissions.

“When it comes to driving policy on global warming, the Bush administration keeps two wheels in the ditch,” said Chairman Markey. “The President’s reluctance to confront the challenge of global warming remains a disappointing contrast to the growing convoy of governors and scientists and American families pushing for cleaner, more efficient vehicles.”

In 2004 California adopted the nation’s first ever regulation to reduce global warming pollution from cars. It requires emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants to be reduced by 22 percent by the 2012 model year and 30 percent by the 2016 model year. A dozen other states and Canada have said they will follow California’s lead, which would comprise over one-third of the North American car market.

“The Supreme Court has given the authority to regulate vehicle global warming emissions. California has the right to move forward cleaning up their vehicles, and the federal government should, too. The legal authority and the scientific consensus on the issue means the Bush administration are out of options and must act to cut global warming pollution,” continued Chairman Markey.

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