U.S. Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works

BOXER STATEMENT ON CALIFORNIA WAIVER           

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today made the following remarks following a telephone conversation with EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson regarding California’s request for a waiver under the Clean Air Act to allow the state to regulate greenhouse gas pollution from cars:

Senator Boxer said: “Administrator Johnson informed me this afternoon that he won’t make a decision on California’s waiver petition until December – a full two years after EPA received the request.  We should have had an announcement in favor of California’s request.  An announcement of yet another delay is unacceptable.  California has never had a waiver request denied, and long ago submitted a comprehensive record in support of this petition.   California is a leader in cleaning up the environment and fighting global warming, but the Bush Administration continues to slow down efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  It is long past time for the EPA to grant this waiver, get out of the way and let us step up to the challenge of global warming.  I will continue to conduct oversight hearings and communicate directly with the Administrator on this issue until the matter is resolved.”

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