U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins are original cosponsors of bipartisan legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate that would grant California a waiver under the Clean Air Act to cut global warming pollution from motor vehicles. This waiver would allow states, such as Maine, to set its own vehicle emission standards and reduce pollution that causes global warming.
The legislation is authored by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and additional cosponsors include: Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joseph Lieberman (ID, CT), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), John Kerry (D-MA), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), Bill Nelson (D-FL.) Barack Obama (D, IL), and Roberts Menendez (D-NJ).
“I am deeply disappointed that the Administration failed to follow the statute outlined in the Clean Air Act that allows California to adopt distinct environmental laws. This is a setback for Maine and as well as our national environmental stewardship,” said Senator Snowe. “Although I am confident that the court system will ultimately overturn this decision, I am troubled that this Administration has unnecessarily delayed enactment of a strong curtailment of greenhouse gas emissions. This legislation will allow the states to move forward with enacting strong reductions in green house gas emissions filling the void of federal action.”
Senator Collins said, “Climate change is one of the most daunting challenges we face and we must develop reasonable solutions to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. If states, like my home state of Maine, establish reasonable standards to help address this serious problem, the federal government should not stand in the way.”
The Senate bill would direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to grant California’s request for the waiver, which will allow California to implement its greenhouse gas emissions standards for motor vehicles. The waiver will also permit other states, including Maine, to adopt California’s emissions standards.
In addition to Maine, 14 other states have adopted California’s standards, or are in the process of adopting them. Another four are moving toward adopting the California standards.
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