美環保署拒絕汽機車排放標準新法 加州政府提出訴訟 | 環境資訊中心
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美環保署拒絕汽機車排放標準新法 加州政府提出訴訟

2008年01月07日
摘譯自2008年1月2日ENS美國,加州舊金山報導;吳萃慧編譯;蔡麗伶審校

交通工具所排放的温室氣體;圖片來源:Chris Keating加州政府1月2日提出一件對抗美國環保署訴訟案,為的是美國環保署「錯誤且非法地」阻擋加州的汽機車排放溫室氣體標準。除了15個其他的州政府也已加入加州的訴訟案之外,還有5個非營利團體也在當天提出訴訟來挑戰環保署的決策。

那個使加州得以啟動並執行排放量降低標準的訴請否決案(The waiver),是因應加州空氣資源局(California Air Resources Board)的法規要求而提出的,這項法規是以一項2002年通過的州法為依據而發展的,而這個州法規定加州在2009年開始要施行新的汽機車溫室氣體排放標準。

這個法規將在8年內逐步將排放量標準降低,從控制新的汽機車排放量開始,以在2016年標準年前減少將近30%排放量。這個州設方案將會是全美第一個具有法令約束力嚴格限制溫室氣體的方案。

在清淨空氣法案(Clean Air Act)的規定下,加州是唯一有權利執行比聯邦法規更嚴格標準的州政府,但是新的標準需要經由美國環保署以否決聯邦較不嚴格的標準的形式才算通過。

一旦加州訴請否決的要求被核准了,其他採用加州新排放標準的州也會自動獲得核可。

美國環保署行政主管強森(Stephen Johnson)在2007年12月19日以一紙給加州州長阿諾史瓦辛格的信,拒絕加州訴請否決的要求。加州在1月2日將訴請以司法審查美國環保署拒絕作為的請願書及其他法律行動提交給聯邦上訴法院第九巡迴審判庭。

California Sues EPA for Rejecting Tailpipe Emissions Law
SAN FRANCISCO, California, January 2, 2007 (ENS)

The California government today filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for "wrongfully and illegally" blocking the state's tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions standards. Fifteen other states joined the California lawsuit, and in addition, five nonprofit groups today filed suit challenging the EPA's decision.

The waiver, allowing California to enact and enforce standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles, was requested after the California Air Resources Board developed regulations based on a 2002 state law that requires new standards for motor vehicle greenhouse gas emissions beginning in model year 2009.

The regulations will phase in and ramp up over eight years to cut emissions from new vehicles by nearly 30 percent by model year 2016. The state program would be the first legally binding program in the country to strictly limit greenhouse gases.

Under the Clean Air Act, California is the only state that has the right to enact standards stricter than those of the federal government, but any new standards require approval in the form of a waiver from the U.S. EPA of less stringent federal standards.

Once California's request for a waiver is approved, other states that have adopted California's new tailpipe standards receive automatic approval.

EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson denied California's request for a waiver on December 19, 2007 in a letter to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

California's petition for judicial review of the EPA denial and the other legal actions were filed today in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

全文及圖片詳見:ENS

作者

蔡麗伶(LiLing Barricman)

In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.