Welch sponsors legislation for tougher auto emission standards

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(Host) Congressman Peter Welch is sponsoring legislation to allow a group of 16 states, including Vermont, to implement California’s tougher auto emission standards.

Welch says the bill is needed because the Bush Administration is "stonewalling" any meaningful action on this issue.

VPRs Bob Kinzel reports:

(Kinzel) Essentially the bill would overturn a recent decision by the Environmental Protection Agency that denies a plan by California to put auto emission standards into place that are tougher than those imposed by the federal government.

The E.P.A. ruling also directly affects the state of Vermont because the Douglas Administration wants to implement the California standards here. The EPA decision is now being challenged in court.

Congressman Welch says the intent of this new bill is to override the E.P.A. ruling:

(Welch) "What we need to do is pass a law that makes very clear that California and states like Vermont that have joined them can implement their higher fuel efficiency standards you know this is something that has always been an environmental issue it’s always been a health issue but today with the price of a barrel of oil reaching a record of 106 dollars a barrel it’s also an economic issue."

And Welch thinks it’s an issue that will draw bi-partisan support in Congress:

(Welch) "Folks here have heard from their governors and hear from their local legislators and they’re astonished that the federal government is denying to the states the right to take appropriate action to do what’s in the interest if the health and safety and economy of the local states so that’s something that cuts across party lines."

Governor Jim Douglas says he’s disappointed by the E.P.A. decision – a decision that Douglas says appears to be "politically motivated."

The governor says he supports Welch’s bill because a legislative solution might be the quickest way to resolve this issue:

(Douglas) "We’re continuing to litigate of course that will probably be the least expeditious approach the administration either this one or the next one could change its mind but the Congress could well make the fastest decision so if the Congress wants to move forward with implementing these California emission standards legislatively that would be just fine with me."

Congressman Welch says the best opportunity to pass this bill may be by attaching it as an amendment to another piece of legislation that’s likely to win approval in Congress.

For VPR News I’m Bob Kinzel in Montpelier.

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