Enviro Battle, California Might sue EPA over Auto Emmissions

California's attorney general plans to sue the Environmental Protection Agency. Attorney General Jerry Brown hopes to force the EPA to decide whether to allow 12 states, including California, to impose stricter standards on vehicle emissions.

The lawsuit could be filed as early as Wednesday in a Washington, D.C. federal court. Brown's move comes 22 months after California made its initial request to the EPA to let the state mandate tighter regulations on greenhouse gas emissions from cars, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles.

Specifically, California wants to implement a law that passed in 2002 that would force automakers to begin manufacturing vehicles that emit less greenhouse gas emissions by the 2009 model year. The goal is to cut emissions by 25 percent by the year 2030.

"California submitted the waiver request to the EPA two years ago. EPA has been slow-walking it. California wants to start implementing the program for model year 2009. Time is running short," said David Bookbinder, chief counsel for the Sierra Club.

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Tags: EPA, Green house gas, Auto emissions, Sierra club