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Inslee goes on offensive on tailpipe emissions

18 July 2007

Until now, U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) has been fighting to keep provisions that would prevent states from setting strict vehicle-emission standards out of a broad energy package that is expected on the House floor as early as next week. Today, he went on the offensive by introducing legislation that could clear the way for Washington and other states to set limits that are more aggressive than current federal standards.

His bill would give the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 30 days to take action on a pending request from California to set limits on tailpipe pollution that are more stringent than nationwide limits set under the Clean Air Act. If approved, it would open the door for Washington and other states that want to adopt stricter standards.

“Until we have a strong national standard, we need states to cut down on emissions from cars, which account for 20 percent of U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions,” said Inslee, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “Delaying the decision on California’s petition is another tactic the administration is using to avoid substantive action on global warming during the Bush presidency.”

The Clean Air Act preempts states, except California, from setting tailpipe emission standards that are more aggressive than federal limits. It contains exceptions for California, however, because at the time of enactment, the state had the worst air quality in the nation and stricter laws on the books to improve it. The landmark federal legislation also gave other states the ability to follow federal vehicle emission limits, or adopt limits set by California and approved by the EPA.

In December 2005, the Golden State asked federal regulators to approve stricter state regulations that would limit the amount of carbon-dioxide emissions that could be released from new vehicles sold in California starting in model year 2009.

The EPA has not approved the request for a waiver from the federal law, even though the U.S. Supreme Court ruled this April that the agency has authority to regulate global-warming gases. Last month during a hearing in the global-warming panel, Inslee rebuked EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, who said the agency would not issue federal tailpipe standards for at least another year and refused to say when the agency would act on California’s pending petition.

Washington is one of 12 states that intends to adopt California’s strict standards, once approved by EPA. The state’s Governor Chris Gregoire signed a bill over two years ago that would start implementing California’s regulations in the Evergreen State in 2009.

"I am pleased that there is support in Congress for the efforts of Washington, and other states, to address climate change and take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said Gregoire. "I am grateful to Congressman Inslee for his leadership on this issue and for opening the door to a higher national emissions standard."

Inslee’s bill, the Tailpipe Pollution Standards Act, is the House companion to legislation filed by U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) last Thursday. Last week, Florida became the most recent state to signal its intention to adopt California’s proposed standards when the Sunshine State’s Governor Charlie Crist unveiled several executive orders aimed at curbing greenhouse-gas emissions. Nelson and Inslee hope to see action on the measure in their respective chambers before the congressional recess in August.

A leading congressional expert on global warming, Inslee is the author of a comprehensive clean-energy bill called the New Apollo Energy Act, H.R. 2809, which includes tough federal vehicle-emission standards. He also co-wrote a forthcoming book on the clean-energy revolution entitled, “Apollo’s Fire: Igniting America’s Clean Energy Economy.”

Click here to read Inslee's bill.