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February 28, 2008
EPA to California: You Can't Lower Emissions
Photo by Skampy via Flickr
For the second time in recent months, the federal government tells California that they cannot tell cars, and now, ships to lower their emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency argues that "unlike smog and diesel fumes, climate change is a global problem, not a state one," says the LA Times in their leading California section article today. And the EPA is right, it is a global problem. But time is of the essence, so what's with the wait?
Also, shipping industry folks prefer the federal approach too, giving them more consistent standards, therefore making it easier to abide by when docking and traveling near other coastal states. It makes sense, when you put it that way, business-wise at least.
Still, let's look at it in another way. The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) sent a request to the Governor and President to declare a state of emergency regarding the 5400 environmental/pollution related deaths a year. That equals out to be one and half 9/11's a year said Andy Lipkis, founder of TreePeople, last Fall at a Farmlab lecture. That definitely seems like a state problem that needs to be solved.
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i think its time for california to take matters into their own hands...who cares what the government has to say.
what kind of country is this? the people want cleaner air and the government says no...you cant have cleaner air..
WTF?
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Does the EPA realize that we live in the THIRD largest state by Size and are FIRST in population. I feel a major disconnect happening.
Maybe if we were on the East coast, they'd have more understanding. Congestion doesn't happen in major cities alone.
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Unfortunately, the kind of country this is is a country where the Federal government has authority over the states, for better or for worse. Unless California wants to secede, that's not going to change.
The result is that, despite our wishes, the EPA does indeed have the right to make this decision, and annoyingly, even though they're ignoring the point of emissions regulations, and even though this is obviously a sop to their corporate donors, they're probably on sound legal footing.
The EPA is as corrupt as anything else under the Bush Adminstration. If you want changes, the only solution is for America to stop electing Republicans. (And also, to stop electing Blue Dog and DLC democrats.)
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whos up for CA seceding from the US?
im pretty sure with JPL, Apple the entertainment industries and everything else under the sun we will be alright