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“We have a federal government that doesn’t seem to want to move as fast or as bold as many would like.” — Gov. Tim Pawlenty, R-Minn., the chairman of the National Governors Association, discussing efforts to limit greenhouse gases.
If you believe in global warming or not — and we know there are people who don’t — we think you still have to support a change in emission standards for vehicles.
This is about cleaning up the environment we live in. And it’s about seeking more efficient and cost-effective vehicles to transport us.
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And it should be a reaction to the rising oil prices and a tightening oil supply around the world due to the demand by rising nations for the same product.
A victory toward this issue came through a ruling by a federal judge in Vermont on Wednesday, who said states have the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and rejected arguments that only the federal government could do so.
In turn, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano and 12 other governors called for expanded state regulation of greenhouse gases.
The thought: If the federal government won’t act, the states can — and the states should. And, as Gov. Tim Pawlenty, R-Minn., said last week, if enough states make emissions policies, then it becomes de facto federal law.
A dozen states, including Arizona, have adopted plans to require reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from motor vehicles. In Arizona, Napolitano’s plan would be implemented through the state Department of Environmental Quality and it would be a “clean car program,” with the goal to begin as early as 2011 to require manufacturers who want to sell in Arizona to design their vehicles to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, with the goal of a 30 percent drop by 2016. There’s question, however, if the governor should have the authority to make such a rule, or if it must go through the Legislature.
Beyond that, we ask if it is too much to ask that states tackle emission standards?
Auto companies think so, saying such standards may not be able to be met. There is also the cost factor — to meet the requirements would mean added cost to a vehicle.
In reply, we ask at what cost do we harm the environment if we don’t act? And at what cost does not making a change in direction on emissions have on the future of our nation?
There is no question that Americans love their cars. Most adults have one, and most people rely on them on a daily basis.
There are other reasons to make more efficient cars, or even alternative fuel vehicles. Other nations, such as India and China, have growing populations and growing appetites for oil. And by having these other markets, the competition and the price rises for the fuel they use.
Just look at Friday’s action by OPEC to boost crude oil production by 500,000 barrels per day this fall. The price of oil at the same time hit a record $80 a barrel, and the U.S. government was reporting a “surprisingly large drop in crude inventories and declines in gasoline supplies and refinery activity,” according to The Associated Press.
This, we believe, isn’t a healthy sign for the state of our nation’s oil supply. The cost of gas for ordinary Americans won’t likely go down anytime soon. And with weather phenomena, such as strong hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, threatening oil supplies, the search for secure oil interests is a necessity.
We’ve said before that we believe that American know-how can develop vehicles that either use gasoline to fuel the cars at a higher efficiency than currently seen, or find another type of fuel for vehicles. Hydrogen, which President Bush has pushed, and electric are two that have been tried and not fully accepted. Hybrid cars, which are more popular and do help the environment, still use oil.
Independence from foreign oil will stabilize America’s future, but this will take years to do. That’s why we must start acting now.
We’re also glad the 13 states are pushing for automakers to drop their litigation over emission standards and work to meet the states’ policies. It would be a lot easier if the federal government took the bold steps, but that doesn’t seem to be happening, so someone must take the lead to make our future better.
