Today the EPA announced that California and 16 other states will not be allowed to make their own laws governing greenhouse gas emissions, because “The Bush administration is moving forward with a clear national solution, not a confusing patchwork of state rules.” California’s robot leader of the future and erstwhile killing machine promptly announced that California will be suing the federal government, and in a press conference today said that “It’s another example of the administration’s failure to treat global warming with the seriousness that it actually demands.”

Want more quotes? President Bush said today, in defense of the EPA’s decision, “Is it more effective to let each state make a decision as to how to proceed in curbing greenhouse gases? Or is it more effective to have a national strategy?” Okay, that doesn’t add much to the discussion, so we’ll go back to Schwarzenegger:

“It is disappointing that the federal government is standing in our way and ignoring the will of tens of millions of people across the nation,” Mr. Schwarzenegger said. “We will continue to fight this battle.”

He added, “California sued to compel the agency to act on our waiver, and now we will sue to overturn today’s decision and allow Californians to protect our environment.”

California’s plan would be slightly more aggressive than the new energy bill signed by the President on Wednesday—California would require results by 2016 instead of 2020, and has more specific demands regarding fuel efficiency. The New York Times says the EPA’s decision has “provoked a heated debate over its scientific basis and whether political pressure was applied by the automobile industry to help it escape the proposed California regulations.”

“Schwarzenegger: California will sue federal government” [CNN]
“E.P.A. Says 17 States Can’t Set Emission Rules” [New York Times]

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