Vermont Court Rules States Can Control Emissions from Cars and Trucks

Date: September 12, 2007

Source: News Room

A Vermont U.S. District Court Judge ruled in favor of a tough new state law that limits greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from automobiles and trucks. In his decision, Judge William K. Sessions III rejected the automobile industry's arguments that Vermont had interfered with the federal government's authority to regulate vehicle fuel economy, reasoning that the Vermont law had broader goals, such as reducing GHG emissions state-wide. The ruling will likely have wide-ranging impacts, and influence a similar court battle in California and encourage several other states to move forward with measures, perhaps even prodding the U.S. Congress to pass federal legislation that would supplant a state-by-state patchwork of standards.

In 2002, California adopted AB 1493 to regulate GHG emissions and fourteen other states including Vermont adopted the same law and are awaiting federal approval.

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