EPA Decision to Block State Emissions Plans Raises Policy Debate

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• MARGARET WARNER:

  The Bush administration's refusal to let states set their own auto emissions standards met with harsh criticism from state officials today.

  Last night, the Environmental Protection Agency denied California's two-year-old request for a waiver so it could impose carbon dioxide emission standards stricter than those in effect nationally.

  The California plan would require a 30 percent reduction in car and light truck emissions by 2016. That would translate into a new overall vehicle mileage average of 36 miles per gallon.

  At least 16 other states, with about 45 percent of the nation's automobiles, had pledged to adopt California-like limits, as well, if the waiver were approved.

  California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vowed to sue, saying, "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. We will continue to fight this battle."

  In his White House press conference this morning, the president defended the EPA's decision, saying it made sense in the wake of a new energy bill approved this week.

  GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States: The question is how to have an effective strategy. 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?

  Director Johnson made a decision based upon the fact that we passed a piece of legislation that enables us to have a national strategy. It's one of the benefits of Congress passing this piece of legislation.

• MARGARET WARNER:

  The energy bill signed by the president yesterday sets a 35-mile-per-gallon vehicle fuel standard by 2020. It also mandates a major increase in the production and use of biofuels, like ethanol.

  The president said his national strategy to confront climate change also has a global dimension. His approach to the problem, beginning with his rejection of the Kyoto treaty, has often put the U.S. at odds with other nations.

  But he cited progress made in last week's summit in Bali, when the administration agreed to take part in two years of negotiations for a post-Kyoto agreement.

• GEORGE W. BUSH:

  In order to be effective on a global basis, countries that emit greenhouse gases need to be at the table.

  We could do all we wanted to do, but it wouldn't affect greenhouse gases over the long run, unless a country like China had agreed to participate in a — in a strategy.

  And so we went to the Bali conference with that in mind and worked out a compromise that said we're committed to a process that's going to unfold over the next two years, but we've also got a parallel process working to make sure major emitters sit at the table.

• MARGARET WARNER:

  The parallel track consists of U.S.-sponsored talks that include large developing countries that didn't sign Kyoto, like China and India.