Results tagged “greenhousegases”

After years of lawsuits against the Bush Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency today granted California the permission it wanted to impose strict emissions regulations on cars sold in the state. By 2016, fuel economy in cars and trucks sold in the state will need to have an average of 35.5 miles per gallon, a reduction of 40%.

An estimated 5,400 deaths a year in Southern California are attributed to environmental factors and air pollution, but little alarm over that fact has been raised. Today, that changes.

After suing the Environmental Protection Agency earlier this year, California Attorney General Jerry Brown is at it once again over the agency's lack of regulation over greenhouse gas pollution from ships, aircraft, and construction and agricultural equipment.

Today at the California Air Resources Board meeting, a historic plan is being presented that may radically cut greenhouse gas emissions in the state by about 30% by 2020. "The state is proposing a slate of changes including a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gases, requiring renewable sources to power a third of the state's grid and taxing gas guzzling cars. Their approach will become a model for the nation if climate change legislation of some sort passes through Congress and is signed by the next President in 2009 as is widely expected." Wired is at the meeting updating what's happening. (emphasis added)