Administrative/Regulatory
Aug. 14, 2002
State Must Set Standard for Reducing Emissions
Forum Column - By Sanjay M. Ranchod - Two weeks ago, Gov. Gray Davis signed landmark legislation that will require automakers to curb global warming pollution from automobiles in California. Patrick Michaels argues this effort is doomed in his article "California Makes Big Mistake Relying On Hybrid Car," (Forum, July 18).
By Sanjay M. Ranchod
Two weeks ago, Gov. Gray Davis signed landmark legislation that will require automakers to curb global warming pollution from automobiles in California. Patrick Michaels argues this effort is doomed in his article "California Makes Big Mistake Relying On Hybrid Car," (Forum, July 18). Contrary to Michaels' assertions, however, AB1493 is the most important step taken in the United States over the past several years to control emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.
The new law requires that the California Air Resources Board develop and adopt regulations by Jan. 1, 2005 that would achieve the maximum feasible, cost-effective and technologically achievable reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from new passenger vehicles. The Legislature will then have a year to review the state regulators' plan, and automakers would have to implement changes beginning with model year 2009.
Michaels argues that the legislation is doomed because it is dependent on hybrid gas-electric technology. In fact, thousands of hybrid vehicles are on the road, including the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight, and Honda is introducing a hybrid Civic this year, which gets 51 miles per gallon on the highway. Ford and other U.S. automakers should similarly embrace hybrid technology instead of spending millions on an unsuccessful media campaign to defeat the bill.
AB1493 is also attacked for giving too much flexibility to state regulators. The bill, however, states that it cannot be implemented by raising fuel taxes or reducing vehicle weight, a fact seemingly overlooked by Michaels.
Michaels also asserts the new law is a sham because California cannot reverse global warming by itself and because the bill does not go far enough in reducing emissions. But California's efforts are significant because they will cut pollution in a state which accounts for nearly 7 percent of national greenhouse gas emissions. Cars and light trucks account for 40 percent of California's carbon dioxide emissions, so reductions in automobile emissions resulting from the new law will amount to a significant decrease in statewide global warming pollution.
Furthermore, leadership at the state level is especially important because the federal government has failed to respond to the dire warnings issued by the world's climate scientists. President George W. Bush has renounced the Kyoto Protocol, ignored a report from his own administration acknowledging that human activity is the primary cause of recent global warming and remains fixated on voluntary efforts to reduce emissions.
California accounts for 13 percent of the nation's auto sales and is the only state allowed by federal law to raise air quality standards. Other states, however, may and will follow California's lead in requiring cleaner cars. As a result, automakers will have an incentive to sell the cleaner cars made for California in other markets.
Global warming is the biggest environmental threat of this century. The year 2001 was, globally, the second hottest on record; 1998 was the hottest. But pollution problems can be solved. In fact, the state air board has a lengthy record of pushing automakers to adopt changes despite industry denials that the changes were possible. California regulators were the first to require automakers to use catalytic converters, seat belts, unleaded fuel and electric and hybrid cars.
California's leadership on this issue is an inspiring and responsible approach. The only sham, therefore, is the self-interested arguments of the fossil fuel industries and their supporters.
Sanjay M. Ranchod, a San Francisco lawyer with Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, is the former chairman of Sierra Club's Global Warming & Energy Campaign.
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