The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday blocked California's pioneering plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, setting the stage for a national election-year battle over global warming. It was the first time the EPA has rejected any state's effort to regulate pollution, and California officials promised to appeal the decision in the courts and to Congress. CC Times 12/20/07
President Bush today defended the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to deny California's bid to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles, saying that a national strategy toward climate change is more effective than a state-by-state approach. LA Times 12/20/07
In a statement of response, the Governor vowed to appeal the decision and pursue every legal opportunity to obtain the waiver. He said, "While the federal energy bill is a good step toward reducing dependence on foreign oil, the President's approval of it does not constitute grounds for denying our waiver. " Governor's Office 12/19/07
The Coast Guard says the Cosco Busan is about to get underway from the Port of Oakland. The ship has clearance from customs and the Coast Guard and is scheduled to sail at 11 a.m. this morning. SJ Mercury 12/20/07
The San Joaquin Valley and the Bay Area should be connected with a 200-mph "bullet train" via a rural South Bay route to San Francisco, with no stop planned for Oakland, a state board concluded Wednesday. The California High-Speed Rail Authority did not actually vote, however, to develop the Los Angeles-to-San Francisco part of the $40 billion system via the Pacheco Pass, near state Highway 152 and making its first Bay Area stop in Gilroy. By not voting, it allowed its staff to continue working to approve a federal environmental impact study citing Pacheco as its preference. The board expects to vote on the full study in March. CC Times 12/20/07
President Bush on Wednesday signed an energy bill designed to cut U.S. dependence on overseas oil by imposing the biggest increase in fuel-efficiency standards in 32 years and mandating a fivefold increase in the use of home-grown biofuels. LA Times 12/20/07
"Unprecedented gas prices and an upsurge in travel expenses are definitely having an impact on holiday travel," said Cynthia Harris, spokeswoman for AAA Northern California, which tracks travel trends. Nationwide, AAA projects that trips by car will increase a scant 0.9 percent and plane travel will drop 0.3 percent, compared with the winter holiday period in 2006. SF Chronicle 12/20/07
No comments:
Post a Comment