Bush administration pushed states to lobby against California fuel rules

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Detroit Free Press

Bush administration pushed states to lobby against California fuel rules
House Democratic chairman will hold hearings
September 24, 2007

By JUSTIN HYDE

FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration organized a stealth lobbying campaign, with the auto industry’s help, to oppose California’s effort to set fuel economy standards, the chairman of the House Oversight committee said Monday.

In a letter to the top White House environmental official, U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., asked the administration to repudiate the lobbying, saying it should have made its objections public rather than leaning on members of Congress and state governors to oppose California’s rules. Waxman has scheduled a committee hearing on the issue for Tuesday.

California lawmakers want to set strict controls on greenhouse gas emissions from new cars and trucks that would result in a fuel economy standard of 43 miles per gallon by 2016 for cars and some trucks. Automakers vehemently oppose the rules, and have fought California and 14 other states from imposing them.

The states need a waiver from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enforce its rules, and after more than two years of consideration, the EPA is expected to rule on the request soon. While the Bush administration has not publicly said whether it favors the waiver, Waxman said his committee’s investigation found that U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters oversaw a lobbying effort earlier this year to drum up negative comments from government officials.



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