Automakers are currently required to achieve fuel efficiency of 27.5 mpg for cars, and 22.2 mpg for light trucks, minivans, and SUVs. The Senate voted to raise fuel efficiency standards in June, but opposition from Detroit's favorite spokesman, Michigan Congressman John Dingell, delayed House assent until now.

The package nearly fell apart this week when Mr. Dingell insisted on leaving sole authority to regulate automobile mileage standards with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an arm of the Transportation Department. That would have weakened the power of the Environmental Protection Agency and the states, led by California, to regulate auto emissions of carbon dioxide, which are in large measure a function of the amount of fuel burned.

Federal court rulings this year have decided this so-called pre-emption issue in favor of the E.P.A. and the states, decisions that Mr. Dingell hoped to undo by Congressional action. The traffic safety administration has had authority over fuel-efficiency standards since 1975 but has not imposed any significant increase since 1985. The E.P.A. is currently writing rules to comply with a Supreme Court ruling this year that gave it the authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions and is weighing an application by California and 14 other states to set their own emissions standard.

The authority of the E.P.A. to regulate tailpipe emissions and the right of California and other states to set their own, higher standards were considered deal-breakers by Ms. Pelosi and her fellow California Democrat, Senator Dianne Feinstein. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Republican governor of California, weighed in late in the week to tell negotiators that he would oppose the bill if the Mr. Dingell's preemption language stayed in.

Mrs. Pelosi and Democratic leaders in the Senate rejected Mr. Dingell's preemption effort, but softened the blow by agreeing to allow the car companies to retain a credit for vehicles capable of running on a blend of gasoline and ethanol. That credit was set to expire in 2008 but now will begin to decline in 2014 and be eliminated entirely by 2020.

Lawmakers Set Deal on Raising Fuel Efficiency [NYT]
(Photo: *USB*)

In a rousing speech for 300 oilmen and oilwomen with partner Shepard Wolff, the executive reassured the crowd that, even if billions die from expected climate-change-related disasters, the industry will continue to prosper. The oil companies could "keep fuel flowing," said the execs, by turning all the dead people into oil.

Wolff "described the technology used to render human flesh into a new Exxon oil product called Vivoleum," according to a press release about the event. "3-D animations of the process brought it to life" and candles were lit in honor of an Exxon Mobil janitor who was the first to undergo the process. The speakers were quickly removed from the stage when it was learned, via a final video testimonial from the deceased, that the candles were the janitor.

Wolff defended his actions for waiting reporters, saying, "150,000 people already die from climate-change related effects every year. That's only going to go up - maybe way, way up. Will it all go to waste? That would be cruel." Calgary cops soon arrived, but could find nothing wrong as long as "the executives" agreed to leave the premises.

The executives being the Yes Men, of course. The Yes Men are two guys who impersonate executives from unlovable corporations, get their fake selves invited to speak at conferences, and embarrass the hell out of their targets. You can learn more at http://www.theyesmen.org. And don't forget to check out these hysterical pictures of the speech. —BRIAN FAIRBANKS

Schwarzenegger's state have decided to quickly follow their recent pledge to reduce emissions by 25% by 2020 with a huge lawsuit against the nation's biggest automakers.

Brought forth by Attorney General Bill Lockyer, the lawsuit named Ford, GM and Toyota, claiming that emissions from their vehicles are costing California millions.

Naturally, this sort of lawsuit is inherently hypocritical. According to the World Resources Institute, Electricity & heat emit a full quarter of the world's emissions. Deforestation's the next big contender, followed by a tie between transport (including planes, trains, whirlybird gyro-copters) and agriculture.

Of course, it's hard to imagine California naming all those planet-killing farmers.

California Sues Automakers Over Global Warming

General Motors, Ford, Toyota Motor Corp., DaimlerChrysler AG, Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. have created a ``public nuisance'' by making millions of vehicles that emit huge quantities of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that increases the temperature of the earth's atmosphere, according to a complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Oakland.

The state argues that the federal government isn't doing squat to slow down emissions by mandating fuel economy increases, so that automakers are not stepping up to the plate on their own, so California felt compelled to take action. But will the whole planet see a cut of the settlement?

Getting the automakers to work harder to produce fuel efficient cars is admirable, but this kind of mega-suit is as likely to create global warming awareness as it is fodder for late night comedians.

Besides, should Toyota and Honda really be on the same list as GM and Ford? After all, Toyota builds the Prius, while GM builds the Hummer. May we recommend a separate class action against every asshole that bought a Hummer?

California Sues GM, Ford, Toyota Over Global Warming [Bloomberg]

Know this An Inconvenient Truth parody? If you've been on YouTube any time in the last 48 hours, very probably. Perhaps you were even one of the knee-jerk reactionaries who left a comment either praising ("Finally sockin' it to those hippy pansies in the taint!") or condemning it ("Wow, was that ever unfunny. Unlike that giant flap of skin on the neck of the guy who runs Exxon.")

It's a pretty weak retort to any serious argument in favor of global warming, but I still got a couple chuckles out of it. Never the less, suspicion is mounting on its indie cred after a trace on an email from the creator's Yahoo! account resolved back to DCI Group, who are — surprise! — Exxon's public relations and lobbying firm.

Exxon confirms their relationship to DCI, but denies having anything to do with the spoof: "We, like everyone else on the planet, have seen it, but did not fund it, did not approve it, and did not know what its source was."

So it's still a mystery. We tend to believe that Exxon would phrase their denial a bit less strongly if they were culpable. Of course, if DCI is in bed with one oil magnate, it might be a menage a trois.

Where did that video spoofing Gore's film come from? [Post Gazette]