'Clean Car' Rules Adopted Statewide (NM)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | November 29, 2007 | Dan McKay

[CedarDave]

New Mexico is cruising into the legal fight over California's "clean car" program.

The state and local air-quality boards voted about midnight Tuesday to enact strict low-emission standards for new cars and trucks.

But the sweeping regulations already face a legal challenge from the auto industry and four state lawmakers. Their lawsuit— filed earlier Tuesday, before the regulations had been adopted— says the state Environmental Improvement Board lacks authority to adopt the regulations.

If successful, the suit could result in the pollution regulations going before the Legislature next year.

"The point is not whether those emission regulations are a good thing or a bad thing," said Victor Marshall, the plaintiffs' attorney. "The point is that we have a constitutional process for making law. It's called the Legislature."

Adoption of the regulations also thrusts New Mexico into the national debate over how to address global warming and reduce smog. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency generally gives states the authority to adopt California's more stringent pollution rules for cars and trucks or stick with the federal standards.

The Environmental Improvement and Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality boards voted this week to enact the California program, joining about a dozen other states. ... Gov. Bill Richardson and Mayor Martin Chávez backed the rules

~~snip~~

The regulations have faced legal challenges around the country. The local suit was filed in Las Cruces and is pending in state court.

Four lawmakers— Rep. George Hanosh, Sen. John Arthur Smith, Sen. Tim Jennings and Rep. Jim Trujillo, all Democrats— joined several auto dealers and a farmer to challenge the program.

[CedarDave]

Four lawmakers— Rep. George Hanosh, Sen. John Arthur Smith, Sen. Tim Jennings and Rep. Jim Trujillo, all Democrats— joined several auto dealers and a farmer to challenge the program.

Interesting that these relatively conservative Democrats are bucking the environmentalist community and Richardson on this issue. As I read in another paper today (USA Today), some, not many (yet) are beginning to take note that the end effect of such overreaching environmental regulation results in less choice and (for traveling) more expensive transportation. It was noted that NBC Sunday Night Football celebrated 50 years of environmentalism by going dark in the studio. Such drastic solutions by the enviro-nazis are not going to win many converts, even among Democrats.

[umgud]

There are more federal, state and local environmental agencies than you’d believe, but Air Boards accross the nation seem to have near unlimited powers compared to their sister eviro agencies.

[Brad from Tennessee]

From Wikepedia:

At a population density of 15 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth most sparsely inhabited U.S. State.

[sergeantdave]

“The state and local air-quality boards voted about midnight Tuesday to enact strict low-emission standards for new cars and trucks.”

Unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats, who can’t be voted out of office, writing laws.

Nice to see that the soviet socialist union has moved into America. These fascist bureaucrats illegally writing law is the handiwork of the two worst presidents of the 20th century - Wilson and FDR.