EPA's own study argues for California waiver

[jpak]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/03/ED4HVBLRS.DTL

California currently suffers disproportionately heavier air pollution casualties than other states due to global warming, and this problem will become worse as warming increases.

The Environmental Protection Agency is supposed to protect human health, including Californians', and, when the state's health risks are more severe than others, it should allow California to address its own air pollution problems. Yet the federal EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson ignored the preponderance of scientific evidence, and in December denied California's request to set its own carbon dioxide emission standards from vehicles.
It is time that he reconsider the issue - taking into account new evidence - and reverse his decision.

Johnson denied the waiver, according to his testimony in a Senate committee hearing on Jan. 24, because he was not convinced of "compelling and extraordinary conditions" to justify giving California the special authority to set its own emission standards. Indeed, he testified, "reenhouse gas emissions harm the environment in California and elsewhere regardless of where the emissions occur."

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