The Bush administration probably wouldn't spend so much time obfuscating greenhouse gas regulation if it knew Congressional Democrats were just as willing to do the job. Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA) is pushing legislation which would forbid states from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. The proposal would, as The Washington Post put it today, "kneecap" the effort of 12 states to institute their own program. Under the Clean Air Act, those states need EPA to grant them a waiver in order to begin regulating. The proposal removes EPA's authority to grant those waivers.

The Blog for Clean Air has discovered draft legislation by Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA) which would prevent states from developing greenhouse gas emission regulations. California and other states are waiting for word from EPA on whether they may institute their own tailpipe emissions programs. Boucher's legislation would stop states' efforts dead in their tracks. The Clean Air Act includes language specifically forbidding states from pursuing emissions regulations for motor vehicles but does provide a caveat allowing EPA to grant waivers.

Be sure to check out the latest issue of our biweekly newsletter, The Watcher. Regulatory policy articles this time: States Battle Administration on Vehicle Emissions Senate Watching Carefully as Risk Guidelines Reemerge