Environmental Leader

Mary Nichols, California’s top air quality regulator, predicts President Barack Obama’s administration will allow the state to impose its own tough limits on GHG emissions from cars by May, eFluxMedia reports.

The state asked Lisa Jackson, the new EPA chief, to revisit the Bush administration’s 2007 decision, which denied California’s request to impose its own regulations. If the new administration approves, a dozen states will likely request to impose their own stricter limits.

Californian authorities wants a 30 percent reduction in emissions by 2016 – the most ambitious federal or state effort to tackle climate change.

Just recently, Jackson signaled that she will move quickly to review California’s request for a waiver from the Clean Air Act to enforce its own vehicle emissions standards.

Last December, out-going EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson overruled California’s request and stated that air permits issued under the Clean Air Act cannot require limits on greenhouse gases (e.g., carbon dioxide) because there are currently no regulations on greenhouse gases.

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