California Passes Landmark Greenhouse Gas Bill

Auto Emissions Regulations Head to Governor Davis' Desk for Signature

Posted: 02-Jul-2002; Updated: 15-Aug-2007

The California Assembly has narrowly approved legislation that would regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and light trucks, becoming the first state to do so. The bill is now headed for the desk of Governor Gray Davis, who has supported the concept of greenhouse gas regulation but has not specified whether or not he will sign the bill into law.

If he does, AB 1493 will enable the state's Air Resources Board to set limits for auto emissions of carbon dioxide and other contributors to global warming. California, the world's fifth largest economy, is home to 24 million motor vehicles, which are responsible for about 40% of the state's greenhouse gas pollution.

"In the wake of the ratification of the Kyoto protocol on climate change by the European Union and Japan, we think California is sending a powerful message to the global environmental community - Americans care about climate change and are willing to take meaningful steps to address it," said Fred Krupp, executive director of Environmental Defense.

The bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), passed Monday, after being revised with amendments over the weekend and put to a vote in the Senate on Saturday.

Under the new law, the state's air board would be required to adopt - by January 2005 - regulations that would achieve the "maximum feasible" reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions by passenger cars, light-duty trucks and other noncommercial vehicles.

The board would consider such factors as economic impacts and technological practicality. The legislature would then review the regulations, which would not apply before to vehicles made before 2009.

Opponents to the measure - the auto industry and oil companies lobbied vigorously against it - had launched a smear campaign suggesting the misfortunes Californians would face should it pass, such as new taxes, fees for miles traveled, or even the elimination of entire classes of vehicles, such as SUVs. The amended version of the bill specifies that no such moves will take place.

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