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Watershed Victory in Fight Against Global Warming Vermont Judge Denies Automakers' False Arguments and Affirms Landmark California Global Warming Standards for Cars Today Judge William Sessions, a federal district court judge in Vermont, ruled against the automakers and for the Sierra Club, the states of Vermont and New York, and other environmental groups, and opened the door for states to mandate cutting global warming emissions from cars. Over the vigorous objections of the automakers, he ruled that New York and Vermont may proceed with enacting the California Clean Car (Pavley) Standards, pending EPA approval. These standards, adopted by California and at least 11 other states, will reduce global warming emissions from cars some 30 percent when fully implemented in 2016. This case is a watershed moment in the legal battle over the California Standards and will undoubtedly have an important impact on similar cases pending in California and Rhode Island. Statement of David Bookbinder, Sierra Club’s Chief Climate Counsel "Today’s decision in Vermont is a dramatic win in the fight against global warming. It affirms the rights of states to move forward with the kind of bold, visionary action that they need in order to protect their citizens and everyone needs if we are to prevent the most catastrophic effects of global warming. "This decision should put the nail in the coffin of the failed arguments of the auto industry. In this trial they used every tired argument about safety, job losses, lack of technology, and doubts about the science of global warming that they had--the same things they have been saying to the public and to Congress for decades. We have long known these arguments were not true and Judge Sessions’ ruling indicates that he did not believe them either. Judge Sessions’ ruling is rock solid and based squarely on the facts--setting up a difficult legal situation for the automakers should they appeal this case. "Instead of the automakers thinking of excuses, it’s time for them to put their immense know-how toward solving some of our most pressing problems. This ruling will compel the U.S. automakers to make the kind of clean, efficient cars Americans want--the kind that foreign automakers have used to surge to record profits as the U.S. auto industry buckled under the weight of its gas guzzlers. This ruling is good for the environment, good for America, and, ultimately, good for the automakers. "While the importance of this victory can scarcely be overstated, it’s now time for the Bush Administration’s EPA to get out of the way and grant California the waiver it and other states need in order to move forward with these landmark standards. Congress should also take note of this momentous decision and give great weight to the judge’s important findings regarding the automakers claims as it weighs its own action in this area."
# # # The decision can be found at: http://www.vtd.uscourts.gov/Supporting%20Files/Cases/05cv302.pdf |
