Automakers Oppose Proposed CA GHG Standards For Cars

[hatrack]

ETROIT, Sept. 22 - "Automakers on Wednesday attacked a California plan to regulate automotive emissions of global warming gases.

The state's proposal "clearly goes far beyond what is reasonable and achievable," said Fred Webber, president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a lobbying group that includes all of the major automakers except Honda and Nissan.

Mr. Webber spoke at a news conference a day before the California Air Resources Board is scheduled to begin two days of hearings on a plan to reduce automotive global warming emissions about 30 percent by the 2016 model year. A vote on the plan is expected Friday.

EDIT

Automakers have criticized the plan before, but they attacked it more directly Wednesday on several fronts. One of their main arguments is that the plan is pre-empted by Washington's authority to regulate fuel economy, because improving a car's fuel efficiency is by far the most significant way to cut emissions linked to climate change. "This proposal is really a fuel economy rule and as such is clearly pre-empted by federal law," said Mr. Webber. "A lawsuit is certainly an option, especially when you're looking into the pre-emption issue," he added."

EDIT

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/23/business/23clean.html?pagewanted=all

[phantom power]

1. As I recall, they said the same thing about seat-belts

"Nobody will be able to afford them!" "We'll be out of business!"