California suing the feds over emissions

California Attorney General Jerry Brown

CNN is reporting that California is suing the federal government over the EPA's ruling to block California's more stringent tailpipe emissions standards. But they are spinning it as the Governor's idea: Schwarzenegger: California will sue federal government CNN.com 12/20/07.

I'm pretty dadgum sure that it's actually our State Attorney General Jerry Brown who's the driving force in this. Erica Werner reports in the AP piece, Dems to Probe EPA Ruling on Calif. Plan SFgate.com 12/20/07:

"It is completely absurd to assert that California does not have a compelling need to fight global warming by curbing greenhouse gas emissions from cars," California Attorney General Jerry Brown said. "There is absolutely no legal justification for the Bush administration to deny this request — Gov. Schwarzenegger and I are preparing to sue at the earliest possible moment."

It really does make a difference to have a fighting Dem like Brown in a position of power where he can force action on things like this. I just don't believe our "moderate" Republican Governor would be taking this position if he didn't have Brown keeping the heat on.

This is not Jerry's first action along those lines as AG (Attorney General Brown petitions EPA to regulate aircraft emissions by Jane Kay San Francisco Chronicle 12/05/07):

California Attorney General Jerry Brown and the other petitioners want the EPA to start imposing tough limits on plane emissions within six months. The federal government now does not regulate greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft or any other vehicles, including cars and trucks.

"Global warming is such a big challenge that wherever we can reduce greenhouse gases, we must do so. The EPA has abdicated its responsibility in this area for years, and it won't do its job until it's legally required to do so," Brown said Tuesday.

Brown said it is "rather shocking that states and citizens have to go to court to do what the EPA is paid to do."

Tags: california politics, jerry brown, schwarzenegger