This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
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.
