Green Options » emissions standards

EPA Proposes New Stringent Standards For Large Ships

Ruedigar Matthes — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:46:28 +0000

In order to cut harmful emissions from maritime vessels, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the next steps of its coordinated effort on Wednesday. The steps include creating a rule under the Clean Air Act that would establish tough engine and fuel standards for U.S. flagged ships. The proposed rule would harmonize with international standards and lead to improved air quality throughout the country.

The new proposal follows a proposal made between the United States and Canada in March that would set aside thousands of miles of coast between the two countries as an Emission Control Area (ECA). The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations agency, will begin review of the ECA plan this month. The passage of the ECA plan would result in the enforcement of stringent standards placed on large ships that operate within 200 nautical miles of U.S. or Canadian coasts.

UK Activists Pay Drivers to Petition for Emissions Standards

Alex Felsinger — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 01:45:37 +0000

British environmental group Futureproof has been giving out £5 bills to drivers who agree to sign a petition to the British Secretary of Transport, Geoff Hoon, to encourage him to seek tougher emission standards for cars sold in the European Union.

“Today we’re giving drivers £5 each and in return asking them to make sure the Government plays its part in keeping the car manufacturers on track towards real progress and not opting for weaker targets,” said Blake Ludwig, the Managing Director for Futureproof.

Automakers Lose Vermont Greenhouse Gas Standards Case

Max Lindberg — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:11:05 +0000

They tried, but Chief Judge of the US District court in Vermont, William K Sessions III ruled against the auto industry’s attempt to block states, including Vermont, from adopting more rigorous greenhouse gas emission standards for new light-duty vehicles.

In his ruling, Judge Sessions said the industry failed to prove that the state standards were unattainable, that they usurp the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) prerogative to set fuel economy standards, and were preempted by federal authority.

The ruling came on the heels of an effort by the federal government to block California, and other states, from requiring that new, more stringent emission standards go into effect in 2009 models. The EPA blocked the California law in a contentious move that followed signing of the new energy bill in December of 2007.

I wrote about the action and urged all states involved that had followed California’s lead to file suit against the EPA to force their hand. You can read it here

California was the first to file suit, as outlined here.

California is awaiting resolution of their lawsuit in US District Federal Court in California.

This one is worth watching.

To read the case, it’s in PDF and you can access it at the Vermont Federal Court site.

(Case 2:05-CV-302 Green Mountain Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge et al v. Crombie et al)