Dear Obama, Please Fix Bush's Clean Air Mess, Love Schwarzenegger

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stands in the aisle in the risers near the main platform on the West from of the U.S. Capitol prior to the swearing-in of President-elect Barack Obama. Asked to move, Schwarzenegger jokingly told a young woman, "We're solving a budget crisis." (AP Photo/Donna Cassata)

It's day one for the new administration and it's straight to business for them and for California. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today sent this letter to President Barack Obama requesting that he direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to act promptly and favorably in reconsidering California’s request for a Clean Air Act waiver so we can reduce global warming pollution from passenger vehicles. California has sued the Bush administration over this to no avail.

Dear Mr. President,

I join many others in congratulating you on taking office during this time of historic change in administrations and in national policies. One of these areas of change must be our nation’s response to global climate change.

For four years, California and a growing number of farsighted states have sought to enforce a common-sense policy to reduce global-warming pollution from passenger vehicles, which are the source of 20 percent of our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Regulation will not only reduce these emissions, but will also save drivers money and reduce our nation’s dependence on imported oil.

However, last March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made what we believe was a fundamentally flawed decision to deny California’s request for the Clean Air Act waiver necessary to enforce our regulation. Today, the California Air Resources Board wrote to EPA Administrator-designee Lisa Jackson to request that she immediately reconsider the waiver based on clear legal standards. I have enclosed a copy of the Board’s letter.

Your administration has a unique opportunity to both support the pioneering leadership of these states and move America toward global leadership on addressing climate change. I ask that you direct the U.S. EPA to act promptly and favorably on California’s reconsideration request so that we may continue the critical work of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on global climate change.

Sincerely,

Arnold Schwarzenegger

As part of Obama's Energy & Environmental agenda, he wants to "increase fuel economy standards" and "get 1 million plug-in hybrid cars on the road by 2015."