Let the lawsuits ensue

It ain't over 'til. it's over to paraphrase that great sports philosopher Yogi Berra. And the battle is now joined between states wanting tighter auto emissions controls and the current White House which wants tighter political controls. The most populous state with the most cars on the road, California, will sue to get its higher emission standards in place despite yesterday's ruling from the Environmental Pollution Agency. New York State itself has a few vehciles and will be a party to that suit as well. And you can expect up to a dozen other states to join in. They have a good chance as the EPA has already lost a couple rounds in court. You may remember the EPA originally told California that the EPA itself did not have the power to even rule on California's anti-smog law. A federal court told the EPA that such determinations were, in fact, what the EPA was created to do. Forced ot make a decision the EPA denied the states have the power over polluters.

So yesterday the ruling came, telling the states to back down, and touting the ideal federal guidelines in the just-signed new energy law. Today the President himself backed up the EPA's ruling and pointed to the new law he signed yesterday as a coherent national policy. There was no mention of state's rights on this particular issue. That new law takes until 2020 to get American cars and light trucks up to an average of 35 MPG.