VICTORIA – The Province has
filed a legal brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit in support of California’s
legal challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which denied a
waiver to implement the California Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standard for
Vehicles, Environment Minister Barry Penner announced today.
“B.C.’s decision to file the legal
brief is one more example of our strong working relationship with California,” said
Penner, who participated in a climate change conference last week hosted by
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. “In addition to partnering on the California emission standards and the Western Climate
Initiative, we’ve also signed an MOU to find solutions to protect Pacific Ocean species from pollution.”
Under the United States Clean Air
Act, a waiver from the federal EPA is required where a state wishes to adopt vehicle
emission standards. California
has received over 50 waivers in the past; this refusal was unprecedented, thus
prompting the current legal challenge.
B.C. introduced legislation in
April that allows adoption of California
greenhouse gas emission standards for vehicles. Stronger standards will reduce
auto emissions from new vehicles in B.C. and provide both choice and savings
for consumers. The California model will
achieve greater GHG emission reductions than the proposed U.S. federal fuel economy standards that have
also been committed to by Canada
as a minimum starting in 2011.
The California
standard will result in significant fuel cost savings for drivers. On average,
consumers will save $3,600 in fuel costs over the life
of a new vehicle (based on fuel at $1/litre). These savings
will pay back any increases in vehicle costs in about three years.
“Higher standards are an important part of
B.C.’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 33 per cent by 2020 through
lower emissions from new vehicles, while providing choice and savings for
consumers,” said Penner.
Seventeen U.S. states have adopted, or are in the process
of adopting, the California
model, while six others are actively considering it. Twelve out of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories have committed
to the greenhouse gas standards, with Quebec
now in the process of making final revisions to its draft regulations. Together,
these states and provinces have a combined population of 176 million and
represent nearly half of all new car sales in the U.S.
and Canada.
For more information on climate change solutions please visit: www.LiveSmartBC.ca
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