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Editorial: Taking down the wall (Rutland Herald)

President Obama's decision to back tougher auto emission rules sought by Vermont, California and other states won unanimous approval from Vermont's political leadership.

"President Obama has seized an extraordinary opportunity to take concrete and speedy action on his pledge to address climate change," said Gov. James Douglas.

"We once again have a White House and an EPA that value science and the way science and engineering can help solve some of the nation's most difficult challenges," said Sen. Patrick Leahy.

"I am glad President Obama is moving us in the right direction," said Sen. Bernard Sanders.

"President Obama's decision to reject the Bush administration's politicized approach to air quality and to embrace a proactive approach to fighting climate change is a victory for consumers and a victory for the environment," said Rep. Peter Welch.

Vermont took a leadership role in the fight to impose tougher standards on auto emissions. It was among 14 states to endorse rules created by California to reduce emissions that create pollution and add to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Then when the auto industry sued to block those rules, U.S. District Judge William Sessions in Burlington rebuffed the industry, declaring that states had the right to seek a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency for the tougher standards. A court in California quickly followed suit.

The hypocrisy of the auto industry was on full display during the trial in Burlington. Lawyers for the industry argued that the tougher standards would impose unbearable burdens on the auto industry. At the same time, industry executives were arguing in Washington against tougher mileage standards because, they said, they were already working to improve mileage on their own. In Burlington they couldn't do it; in Washington they could.

Everything was in place for states with about half of U.S. autos to impose tougher emission standards. But in a decision that was opposed even by EPA's staff, the EPA director caved to the Bush White House by refusing to grant the waiver that Sessions had declared to be permissible.

These actions by the auto industry can be seen as a form of assisted suicide — suicide by the industry and assistance from the government, which was complicit in the industry's near demise.

Obama did not overturn the EPA decision. Rather, he told the EPA to review the agency's previous decision. There is little likelihood that the EPA will let Bush's decision stand.

Obama also announced that he had ordered the Transportation Department to put into effect tougher mileage standards approved by Congress but ignored by the Bush administration.

These decisions are another indication of the degree to which times have changed. With the auto industry near collapse because they have heretofore refused to take these steps, Obama's decisions are scarcely controversial. Just a few months ago, efforts in Vermont, California and elsewhere to put in place energy and environmental policy that made sense had hit a stone wall.

The voters have taken the wall down. Obama has happily driven through.