California air chief blasts auto trade group over clean cars

California Air Resources Board Chairman Mary D. Nichols on Monday wrote to seven major automobile manufacturers, accusing their trade group, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, of misrepresenting the state's efforts to cooperate with federal officials on rules to curb greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks.

She asked the companies to "distance" themselves from the Washington-based group's efforts to "undermine ... standards that will provide American consumers with cleaner and more efficient vehicles."

"For the Alliance to suggest we are no longer committed to a cooperative effort is disingenuous at best, and incorrect," she wrote in a letter to the automaker CEOs, which was copied to the leaders of the congressional committees that oversee auto regulations.

Nichols' forceful rebuke comes as California, which has the right under the federal Clean Air Act to develop its own car emission standards, has pledged to coordinate its regulations for post-2016 car models with a parallel federal effort to hike fuel-efficiency standards.

But the issue has become more highly politicized than ever in the wake of the Republican takeover of the House of Representatives, with GOP members of Congress raising doubts about climate science and questioning the need for stricter curbs on carbon dioxide (C0₂) emissions from automobiles.

Scientists say that C0₂ and other greenhouse gases are trapping heat in the atmosphere and changing Earth's climate, leading to rising sea levels, more intense droughts and extreme weather events. California in 2006 passed the nation's most sweeping law to curb greenhouse gases, but federal legislation died in Congress last year.

In a Jan. 11 letter to Reps. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) and Fred Upton (R-Minn.), the auto alliance charged that California is undertaking "unilateral action" in a "rushed effort toward a state rulemaking" that "is not on the spirit of a collaborative effort to develop a single national program for fuel economy/ghg standards."

Nichols noted, however, that in 2009 California adapted its standards for greenhouse gas emissions of 2012 to 2016 model years to dovetail with federal fuel-efficiency standards, so that the federal and state governments could issue a joint standard. Because there is no technology, such as a catalytic converter, that can trap carbon emissions from cars, the only way to reduce them, as required under the state's global warming law, is to hike fuel efficiency -- thus burning less gasoline.

California has also announced that it would delay issuing rules for 2017-2025 model years until September, rather than a scheduled March date, to accommodate the federal regulatory schedule.

"The unfortunate statements made by the Alliance undercut our continued cooperation," Nichols wrote the auto chiefs.

Gloria Bergquist, vice president of the Alliance, declined to respond to Nichols' charges directly, but said in an email, "We have been concerned that CARB announced its own rulemaking for 2017-2025, returning us to the old days of piecemeal, patchwork fuel economy standards.  So we were supportive when EPA and CARB recently announced that California was not going to be undertaking its own fuel economy rulemaking but instead would work with EPA on a proposal for September. Our goal is one national program for 2017-2025 that sets fuel economy at the maximum feasible level without negative impacts on affordability, jobs, safety and vehicle utility."

RELATED: California aligns with feds on clean cars

                EPA fuel economy labeling: a better way?

                Jerry Brown: a new direction on eco-issues?

-- Margot Roosevelt

Photo: Traffic on the 210 Freeway. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Tiger]

Seems Mary forgot about the dishonesty and fraud at CARB like inflating diesel emissions 340% or hiring people with mail order Ph.D's and then trying to deny it or getting people fired from jobs. Go to www.killcarb.org and read up on Mary and CARB.

[Steven M.]

Atlas shrugged and John Galt lives. Just think. No more new cars for Californians.

[Fredo]

Why do idiot deniers always comment on global warming articles first, most, and loudest. You'd almost think that the car companies, oil companies, coal companies and the Koch brothers are paying people to spread lies that global warming does not exist. Oh wait... that's exactly what they do...

Nevertheless whether they are paid liars or authentically stupid, I am getting sick of people claiming it is all about making a buck and, therefore, that global warming must not exist. Get a clue "morans" like the tea party sign said... yes of course everything is about everyone trying to make a buck, AND, yes of course scientists are right to point out that when you double the amount of a major chemical in the Earth's atmosphere from its natural state, it is probably going to affect the climate! The fact that people will seek to take advantage of every change in order to make a buck is just human nature, it does not change rock solid science. Case in point. I personally have invested over $200,000, about 1/3 of my net worth, in clean-energy funds. Why? Because (a) I think promoting clean energy is the right thing to do for the future of humanity, and (b) because I think more and more people are realizing this, meaning my investment is likely to go up. Does the fact that I make this investment somehow mean that clean energy is less important to the future of the world? Of course not. Yet that is the logic of the denier. Never mind that according to this logic, nothing that anybody stood to make a buck on could EVER be right or good... and therefore, nothing in the world could EVER be right or good, because SOMEBODY out there is guaranteed to be trying to make a buck on any goddamn thing you could ever think of. But, logic is not the forte of the denier...

Most obviously, somehow, they overlook the fact that their own position is a lie funded 100% by the biggest fraudster plutocrats of all, the fossil fuel barons, who would drown and bake the entire Earth to keep their deadly business alive a few years longer... here's hoping they go down in flames soon to the hell they most richly deserve.

[Ken]

"C02Pirate"
Pray tell what "fundamental science laws" are violated by global warming? In point of fact, the current temperature of the earth is a direct consequence of a CO2 induced greenhouse effect. Planets that lack significant atmosphere (Mars) are much colder than their position in the orbit of the sun would predict, compared to the earth. Thus, CO2-induced warming is not a sudden change, but rather a linear regression. And for some examples of global warming. How about the opening of the Northwest passage (of early colonial American fame - the northern route by sea around North America)) to shipping most of the year! Oh, and the Russians and Swedes are planning oil and gas drilling near the North Pole. No longer much ice. Let's see what else. Rising sea levels. Conservatives will "discover" global warming when their homes on Fisher Island, FL are threatened with rising sea levels.

[C02Pirate]

I think its high time that this issue is put in some perspective.
How much C02 is attributed to transport?
Current estimates put this at around 13%.
Contrary to popular belief the transport industry is NOT a huge contributor.
In fact the largest contributor to C02 is the building industry and cement production.
Why are there currently NO plans to reduce this industries emissions?
Why - because there is much more money to made from millions of car owners than from a few cement producers and building groups.

If this was about c02 the we would be looking at reducing largest C02 contributors - we're not.
If this is about money then you would begin regulation of the biggest industries with the largest potential - well guess what.....

human C02 induced global warming or AGW is nonsense.
It is a fantasy that violates science and fundamental scientific laws.

Anyone who thinks this is about anything other than money, power and control is kidding them self's.
Wake up!!!