BREATHE LA Supports Governor's EPA Lawsuit

Do you BREATHE? Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown have done the right thing to file suit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) for its failure to act on California's request for a waiver to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks sold in the state. California has been waiting for a decision from the U.S. EPA for almost two years. There is no more time to waste.

The time for action is now. BREATHE LA applauds the Governor's vigorous and visionary leadership on air quality issues. Oh, sure, he's not perfect. Personally, I may not agree with everything the Governor proposes or stands for. But as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Breathe California, Los Angeles County, BREATHE LA, I appreciate the Governor's leadership on climate and air quality as the best thing for California and the future of clean air.

In April, the United States Supreme Court ruled that greenhouse gases are air pollutants subject to control under the Clean Air Act. Scientists warn that we must act now to begin making serious emission reductions if we are to avoid truly dangerous global warming pollution concentrations. Because carbon dioxide and pollutants from vehicle emissions can remain in the atmosphere for decades, centuries, or even longer, the climate change impacts from pollution released today will continue throughout the 21st century and beyond. Failure to pursue significant reductions now will impact our air quality and lung health far into the future.

Increases in wildfires, floods and droughts are only the most dramatic results of vehicle emissions pollution. Significant health impacts, more and more children with asthma and adults with lung diseases like COPD struggling to take their next breath, are personal, heartbreaking impacts of a climate in despair.

BREATHE LA applauds Governor Schwarzenegger's efforts to ensure all Californians can BREATHE with improved air quality. BREATHE LA will continue to do its share in reducing Global Climate change and helping to empower the residents of Los Angeles County to create a greener world. Thank you Governor, for your efforts towards that shared goal.

Sincerely
Michael Arlen
Chairman, Board of Directors
BREATHE LA

Federal law protects California's right to set a tougher standard. Under the Federal Clean Air Act, California has the right to set a tougher-than-federal standard for vehicles as long as it gets a waiver from U.S. EPA.

This standard will help fight global warming and meet the objectives of California's groundbreaking climate change law, AB 32. Fourteen other states are joining California's lawsuit. Fourteen states are joining California in the lawsuit: Massachusetts, New York, Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Pennsylvania.California can't enact the standard without a waiver from the federal government..

The Federal government can help Americans across the country breathe cleaner air.
Sixteen states sales have adopted, or are in the process of adopting, California's strict automobileemissions standard include: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah,
Vermont and Washington.