Automakers lose court battle in Vermont (more details)
As we mentioned yesterday, Vermont and thirteen other states (California, Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington) won a victory in court against GM and Chrysler. The automakers had filed a suit against the state of Vermont claiming that states' rules on restricting emissions further than the EPA was usurping Federal law. That is, states could not rule stricter rules than the EPA. Moreover, automakers and dealers affirmed that these rules caused harm to the industry while not addressing global warming.
U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions rejected all of the manufacturers' and dealers' claims to the state greenhouse gas emissions standards, ruling that auto manufacturers can meet new clean car standards.
Note that the U.S. EPA still needs to grant California a waiver under the Clean Air Act to permit the standards to take effect, which is being supported by Sen Bill Nelson (D-FL). We'll have responses to the decision from some of the affected parties in a little while.
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[Source: Environmental Defense]
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