It’s Getting Hot In Here

The auto industry was struck with a huge decision in Vermont’s Federal Courts yesterday. On the same day oil hit record highs, auto-makers including Ford, GM, and Toyota lost a suit suing the state of Vermont for passing a law requiring a 30% reduction in automobile emissions. This law is a mirror image of laws passed, or waiting to be passed, in over a dozen states nationwide,and sets the stage for similar results. These laws, adapted from the California law passed in 2005 regulating the poisons being spewed from vehicles tailpipes, are a wake up call to our Federal Government and amplifies the need, and want, for sweeping regulations on what comes out of our automobiles tailpipes.

The auto industry had long hid behind the argument that the technology is not there to meet these state imposed requirements. That argument was rejected with a resounding thud by federal court’s Judge Sessions. “It is improbable that an industry that prides itself on its modernity, flexibility and innovation will be unable to meet the requirement of the regulation, especially with the range of technological possibilities and alternatives before it”. A quote right on the money considering that GM had admitted itself the technology is there. GM introduced it’s new concept car with Flextreme technology in Frankfurt just 48 hours before the ruling, the Chevy Volt PHEV is ready to hit the road in 2009, and the original zero-emission car EV1 is over ten years old. Seems as if the messaging isn’t quite in line. The technology is there, the industry just needs get itself out of the pocket of big oil.

While this is a great precedent setting victory (leave it to VT) there is still a lot of hurdles until the auto makers are held to these reductions. The next hurdle lies in California. The largest automobile state in the US, now sits in the forefront in the battle to reduce auto emissions. The same lawsuit, with the same auto corporations suing, is in the courts again on Oct, 11 in Fresno CA. The Vermont decision certainly strengthens the case in CA, and following another victory in the courts of CA the EPA must issue states waivers enabling them to enforce these reduction laws. Easier said than done. California has been waiting for two years for a waiver. California’s Governor (hey that guy) has threatened to sue the Bush Administration is the EPA does not grant California the waiver by November. Things are happening fast in the next few months and, pardon the analogy, we need to keep our foot on the gas.