(Santa Fe, NM) Governor Richardson and the governors of 13
other states today sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency Administrator expressing disappointment in the administrator’s
dismissal of a waiver that would allow states to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from cars.
The governors ― also from Arizona,
California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey,
New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington ―
called Administrator Stephen L. Johnson’s decision a denial of federal
law and the reality of climate change.
“Governors must lead the
effort to fight global warming because the federal government is in
denial regarding the effects of this battle for the environment,”
Governor Bill Richardson said. “We cannot allow this administration to
continue to put this nation in jeopardy – the effects of climate change
are scientifically proven and threaten humanity and the environment.”
“Cutting
emissions in the transportation sector – the third largest contributor
of greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico – makes sense,” said New
Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry. “Reducing those
emissions will protect New Mexicans from the effects of ground level
ozone linked to asthma in children and the elderly.”
The letter
emphasizes that Johnson acted inappropriately in basing his denial of
the waiver on a comparison of California’s emissions standards to
possible co-benefits of the recently enacted federal Energy Bill.
“While
more efficient CAFE standards are well and good, the most effective
strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles is the
comprehensive standard that has been adopted by 13 states and is being
considered by another seven,” the letter states. In addition, the
governors state that the impacts of climate change become more real
every day.
“All states face negative impacts to their
economies, natural resources and shorelines,” the letter states. The
governors also call Johnson’s decision a blocking of states’ rights.
“The authority of states to address greenhouse gas emissions from motor
vehicles has been clearly and unequivocally supported by recent
judicial decisions,” according to the letter.
Federal courts in
Vermont and California ruled in favor of the California Clean Cars
program and the U.S. Supreme Court directed the EPA to take action on
global warming.
Last month, New Mexico became the first
Intermountain state and the thirteenth state in the nation to adopt the
Clean Car program after the Environmental Improvement Board and the
Albuquerque-Bernalillo Air Quality Control Board voted to approve the
regulations that address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas
emissions from cars.
The program, which became effective
January 1, 2008, requires car manufacturers to sell and lease vehicles
that meet the standards beginning with model year 2011. The program
only applies to new vehicles and will not affect new or used cars sold
before that model year.
Transportation accounts for about 17
percent of New Mexico’s greenhouse gas emissions and is the third
largest and fastest growing source of those emissions in the state.
Auto emissions are the second largest source of greenhouse gas
emissions nationally and will grow rapidly if left unchecked.
California has the authority under the Federal Clean Air Act to set its
own tougher-than-federal vehicle emission standards if it obtains a
waiver from the EPA.
The EPA has not denied a waiver for
California in the past 40 years. The EPA, which determined the program
did not meet the criteria of being compelling or extraordinary to be
granted a waiver, will prevent many states from implementing the
California Clean Car standards for greenhouse gas emissions. Those
regulations would have included 35 percent of the American population —
about 104 million people and about 78 million potential car buyers.
