CALIFORNIA ASKS EPA TO REGULATE MACHINE EMISSIONS
01.31.08 - Leído 53 veces. Enviar esta notaNichola Groom
California officials Monday called on the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from industrial machines that they say emit as much carbon dioxide as 40 million cars
LOS ANGELES, US; January 31, 2008.- California Attorney General Jerry Brown, along with officials from four other states, is petitioning the agency to set emissions standards for equipment in the construction, mining and agricultural industries. Earlier this month, California and other states sued the EPA to overturn a Bush administration decision that denied California’s attempt to set new standards for auto emissions.
“This is a serious problem that the EPA has utterly failed to address,” Brown said in an interview. “We are getting the legal machinery ready to be used either because a court orders it or a new president requires it.”
The petition says the EPA has the authority and duty to adopt national emissions standards for non-road engines and vehicles. It asks the agency to adopt regulations to carry out emissions limits for such machines.
Connecticut, Oregon, New Jersey, Massachusetts and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection are joining California in the petition.
It is not the first time California has made such a filing. Last year, in two separate petitions, California and other states asked the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from both aircraft and ocean vessels.
When asked whether California would enact its own emissions standards for heavy machinery, Brown said “it would be more appropriate” for the federal government to do so.
The engines and vehicles cited in the petition emitted 220 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2007, California said — about equivalent to the emissions from 40 million cars. There are nearly 18 million such machines in California.
ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT IN BUSH STATE OF UNION SPEECH
Tom Doggett
President George W. Bush’s annual State of the Union speech to Congress on Monday touched on several environmental and energy issues
Following are some of the highlights:
* United States to provide US$2 billion over next three years to a new international clean energy technology fund to help fight climate change.
* Reaffirms US commitment to work with major world economies and the United Nations to complete agreement by 2009 to slow, stop and reverse growth of greenhouse gases.
* Wants United States to reduce dependence on oil.
* Seeks more US investment in advanced batteries and renewable fuels to run future cars and trucks.
* Wants United States to generate more electricity from clean coal, solar and wind energy and nuclear power that will also help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
(Reuters)
Enlaces Relacionados
