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By John Fleck
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Monday, 26 January 2009 15:36 |
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Barack Obama Monday reversed a Bush Administration decision to block state-by-state efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. The move could remove one hurdle for state regulators trying to restrict auto emissions of greenhouse gases, but other hurdles remain, officials and attorneys involved in the issue said Monday.
The Obama directive overturns a decision by the Bush Administration to refuse to grant a waiver to the state of California allowing it to regulate auto tailpipe emissions under the Clean Air Act. California has long led the nation in air quality regulations, and at least 17 other states, including New Mexico, had signaled their intention to follow California's lead on the issue. From the LA Times: President Obama today directed the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider a Bush-era decision that stopped California and at least 17 other states from setting their own, stricter limits on auto emissions.
If the EPA, as expected, grants California the waiver, it would remove one of the major hurdles to implementation of the rules in New Mexico. New Mexico's Environmental Improvement Board voted in November 2007 to sign on to the California standard. The state has been sued in both state and federal court on the issue, and that litigation will continue independent of Obama's decision Monday, according to New Mexico Environment Department official Jim Norton.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 26 January 2009 15:44 )
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