California urgently needs a waiver from the federal Clean Air Act to implement a 2002 law to curb carbon emissions from cars, dozens of speakers told the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during a workshop in Sacramento on May 30. The seven-hour meeting was the second of two public workshops on California’s request to allow it to enforce regulations that would require vehicles sold in the state to emit less greenhouse gases than cars sold nationally. California is one of 11 states--the others include Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington--that are trying to implement rules limiting global warming gases from vehicles. A California law, AB 1493, mandates the reduction. The legislation requires automakers to cut emissions from cars and light trucks by 25 percent and from SUVs by 18 percent by 2016. The other states have opted to adopt California’s standards instead of abide by national standards, as allowed under the Clean Air Act. However, some automakers are against the waiver. They argued the proposed legislation would be too expensive to implement. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is lobbying against California’s request for the waiver. President Bush has opposed stringent mandatory emission standards in favor of a voluntary approach. “For 15 months, the federal government has failed to act on the waiver. With all due respect, it’s time to lead or get out of the way,” Susan Kennedy, chief of staff for California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told EPA officials. “In delaying this request, the federal government is blocking the will of 100,000 million Americans,” Kennedy said, referring to the populations of the 11 states trying to implement global warming gases rules. During the hearing, California Air Resources Board chair Robert Sawyer argued that the state’s waiver request meets the three needed criteria: -That the state was not arbitrary or capricious in determining that its standards are at least as protective as applicable federal standards; -That the state needs its standards to meet compelling and extraordinary conditions, and -That the state’s standards are not inconsistent with those of the Clean Air Act. Law and policy require more, not less, deference to California to regulate vehicular climate change emissions, Sawyer said. “This is an opportunity for the EPA to regain its role as a champion for the environment,” California Attorney General Jerry Brown said during the workshop. “To me, it is impossible to conclude that the waiver can be denied.” About 25 million cars and light trucks use California’s roads on a daily basis. These vehicles are believed to be responsible for an estimated 30 percent of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.