Obama Admin. Approves California's Tailpipe Emissions Rule

After five years of uncertainty, California has gotten the green light to set tougher standards for greenhouse gas pollution from automobiles than those set by the federal government.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced this afternoon that it would grant the "California waiver" to federal fuel economy standards. This clears the road for the Golden State to implement immediately a 2002 state law requiring new cars and trucks to raise fuel economy 40 percent, to an average of 35.5 miles per gallon, by 2016.

President Obama wants the same standard nationwide by 2016, four years sooner than Congress mandated as part of a 2007 energy law.

"This decision puts the law and science first," EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said in a statement. "After review of the scientific findings, and another comprehensive round of public engagement, I have decided this is the appropriate course under the law."

Jackson was very likely zinging her Bush-appointed predecessor, Stephen Johnson, for breaking with traditional interpretations of the use of the Clean Air Act, as well as the agency's history of granting the waiver, when he denied California the right to implement its law in 2008.

Jackson's approval of the waiver isn't surprising, but the impact is significant: it overturns one of the Bush administration major roadblocks for states in combatting global warming. Arizona, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, as well as the District of Colombia, all intend to apply California's standard.

Writing in The New York Times "Wheels" blog, Jim Motavalli reports that automakers appear to have collectively shrugged their shoulders at the announcement:

“This issue was largely decided when the Obama administration announced a single national program,” said Charles Territo, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. “Last month’s agreement settled the question of who would set future fuel economy and greenhouse-gas standards.”

It's good news that the California waiver has been granted. Now the question is why a mere 35.5 mpg seven years from now is the goal. Technologies already exist on the global automobile market -- like Toyota's third-gen Prius hybrid -- that get 50 miles per gallon or more.