There are two sides to every story, but EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson didn't want to tell his. Johnson refused repeated requests from the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works to produce documents and talk about why he denied California a waiver to set their own automotive emissions standards.

You'd think he'd have something to say about this unusual action -- it's the first time that the EPA has denied a Clean Air Act waiver since it got the right to grant them in 1967.[1] And Johnson denied the waiver over his staff's recommendations[2] after having had two years to deliberate.[3] Luckily, Committee chair Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) has just begun to fight. She has introduced legislation to reverse the EPA decision and her bill has the support of 18 other Senators, including Democrats, Republicans, and both of the Senate's Independents.[4]

The Senate is right to investigate US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Stephen Johnson's decision to deny California the right to have cleaner cars and to encourage cleaner, lower CO2 technologies for their citizens. They've been joined by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger[5] and an impressive group of state officials from 16 states[6] The emissions program requested would get California's new vehicle fleet up to 36 mpg by 2016. Along with the 18 other states who pledge to adopt the standard, this represents 45 percent of the new car market and would cut vehicle greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent by 2016.

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell points out that his state emits 1 percent of the world's greenhouse gases.[7] A quarter of that comes from vehicles.[8] Rendell notes that the more stringent car standards would not only cut greenhouse gases but would also bring welcome economic relief to a country concerned with recession, since the average gasoline savings should average $6-12 per month at current prices.[9]

If the EPA's decision is, in effect, costing our states' citizens a de facto "gas tax" of $72-$144/year, then reversing it, would mean that Congress would supplement the economic stimulus package, freeing up more funds without depriving federal coffers.

Administrator Johnson's actions, though puzzling, have had a positive and probably unintended consequence. He has brought into sharp focus the degree to which climate change issues aren't a matter of Democrat or Republican or Independent any more. When states representing nearly half the U.S.
population are united in wanting to take bold steps to control greenhouse gases, you can see a common wisdom forming, and not a moment too soon.

[1] http://www.thereporter.com/news/ci_8065026

[2] Janet Wilson, "EPA Chief is Said to Have Ignored Staff," L.A. Times, 12/21/07, http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-epa21dec21,1,2746599.story?ctrack=2&cset=true

[3] The waiver request was filed 12/21/2005, but hearings were delayed until the EPA was assured of its regulatory authority over greenhouse gases by the Supreme Court caseMassachusetts v. EPA, decided 5/2/07. Nat'l Council for Science and the Environment, CRS Reports, 10/1/2007. http://www.ncseonline.org/NLE/CRS/abstract.cfm?NLEid=1898

[4] According to a January 24 press release from the office of Sen. Barbara Mikulski.http://mikulski.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=291262

[5] http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/press-release/6031/

[6] http://www.thereporter.com/news/ci_8065026

[7] Press release from Governor Rendell's office, 1/24/08, http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/news/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=533438

[8] Id.

[9] Id.