HR0182 LRB096 11991 JDS 23697 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, California has implemented more stringent motor
3 vehicle air emissions regulations than the federal government
4 for over 40 years; and
 
5     WHEREAS, In recognition of the pioneering role of
6 California in protecting public health and welfare from motor
7 vehicle emissions, the United States Congress enacted
8 subdivision (b) of Section 209 of the federal Clean Air Act (42
9 U.S.C. 7543(b)) that allows the Administrator of the United
10 States Environmental Protection Agency ("the Administrator")
11 to waive federal preemption of state motor vehicle standards;
12 and
 
13     WHEREAS, Once a waiver is granted to California for that
14 regulation, other states may adopt the vehicle emission
15 standards established by California; and
 
16     WHEREAS, On December 19, 2007, Administrator Stephen L.
17 Johnson of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency denied
18 California its requested waiver for the right to impose its own
19 standards for carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles; and
 
20     WHEREAS, According to the Congressional Research Service,
21 California has requested waivers of preemption under

 

 

HR0182 - 2 - LRB096 11991 JDS 23697 r

1 subdivision (b) of Section 209 of the federal Clean Air Act (42
2 U.S.C. 7543(b)) for vehicle emission standards more than 50
3 times since that provision was enacted, and the Administrator
4 has never previously denied such a request, but has instead
5 always granted the requests in whole or in part; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The President of the United States, Barack Obama,
7 has directed the Administrator to reconsider California's
8 waiver request, which was rejected by the previous
9 administration; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The Administrator has begun the process of
11 reconsidering California's request; and
 
12     WHEREAS, An analysis by the California Air Resources Board
13 shows that the California standards, once fully adopted, would,
14 when compared with the status quo under the federal Clean Air
15 Act, result by 2020, in a two-fold greater reduction in carbon
16 dioxide emissions in California and an 80 percent greater
17 reduction in carbon dioxide emissions nationally; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Thirteen states and the District of Columbia have
19 already taken steps to follow California's emissions
20 standards, which, according to Environment America, will
21 reduce global warming pollution by more than 450 million metric
22 tons by 2020, a reduction equivalent to eliminating all of the

 

 

HR0182 - 3 - LRB096 11991 JDS 23697 r

1 pollution from 84.7 million of today's cars for a year; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Illinois supports California's right under the
3 Clean Air Act to set stricter standards than the federal
4 government for motor vehicle emissions and the rights of other
5 states to implement California's standards; therefore, be it
 
6     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
7 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
8 this House hereby encourages the United States Environmental
9 Protection Agency to grant California a waiver necessary to
10 achieve greenhouse gas reductions from motor vehicles as
11 required by California law; and be it further
 
12     RESOLVED, That this House opposes preemption of state laws
13 and regulations that are stronger than federal laws or
14 regulations to reduce global warming emissions; and be it
15 further
 
16     RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be sent to the
17 President and Vice President of the United States, to the
18 Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader
19 of the Senate, to each Senator and Representative from Illinois
20 in the Congress of the United States, and to the Administrator
21 of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.