Blocker Bush Blocks Clean Air

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a bit upset with Blocker Bush. When California tried to set a new emission standard for automobiles Bush's EPA blocked the move. Gov. Schwarzenegger complains, "how can you say you cannot regulate[auto emissions], you cannot have your own standards [that] we have to set a national standard, when there is no national standard? The tailpipe emission standard [of California] was already passed in 2002, the Pavley bill. There was no [national] standard. And in 2003, there was no standard. In 2004, there was no standard. In 2005, there was no standard. In 2006, there was no standard. So what are they talking about, "you cannot do this on your own because we have to have a national standard"? I say, "There is no standard!" Their standard is to have no standard.

He goes on to say that the EPA is siding with the car companies: "It can only be that [the federal government is] going to the car companies and [is] saying to them, "Hey what can you really handle comfortably here," and they tell them, and they say "Whoa whoa whoa," California is stepping over the line, this wouldn't help you."

Gov. Schwarzenegger has got it right.

Despite the recent whoop de do about how the administration now supports moves to address climate change, George Bush still has his head in the sand and his administration consistently opposes anything which actually does something about climate change. This week EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson declined to give a waiver to 16 states who were ready to adopt California's new emission standards, including Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Washington.

Since 1970, such waivers have been routinely granted more than 50 times involving tailpipe pollutants that foul the air in some states more than in others. But none faced the political atmosphere surrounding the California proposal, which dealt with a gas that affects the world climate, not that of a particular state.

Senator Barbara Boxer, the California Democrat who leads the environment committee, said she believed that the administration never intended to grant the state’s request. Ms. Boxer said Mr. Johnson refused to meet her on the question and evaded questions about White House pressure at a hearing before her panel.

Click here to read the whole interview with Sen Boxer.

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