FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 12 September 2007Contact: Josh Dorner, 202.675.2384 (w), 202.679.7570 (m) Watershed Victory in Fight Against Global WarmingVermont Judge Denies Automakers False Arguments andAffirms Landmark California Global Warming Standards for Cars Today Judge William Sessions, a federal district court judge in Vermont,ruled against the automakers and for the Sierra Club, the states of Vermontand New York, and other environmental groups, and opened the door forstates to mandate cutting global warming emissions from cars. Over thevigorous objections of the automakers, he ruled that New York and Vermontmay proceed with enacting the California Clean Car (Pavley) Standards,pending EPA approval. These standards, adopted by California and at least11 other states, will reduce global warming emissions from cars by 30percent when fully implemented in 2016. This case is a watershed moment inthe legal battle over the California Standards and will undoubtedly have animportant impact on similar cases pending in California and Rhode Island. Statement of David Bookbinder, Sierra Club’s Chief Climate Counsel "Today’s decision in Vermont is a dramatic win in the fight against globalwarming. It affirms the rights of states to move forward with the kind ofbold, visionary action that they need in order to protect their citizensand everyone needs if we are to prevent the most catastrophic effects ofglobal warming. "This decision should put the nail in the coffin of the failed arguments ofthe auto industry. In this trial they used every tired argument aboutsafety, job losses, lack of technology, and doubts about the science ofglobal warming that they had--the same things they have been saying to thepublic and to Congress for decades. We have long known these argumentswere not true and Judge Sessions’ ruling indicates that he did not believethem either. Judge Sessions’ ruling is rock solid and based squarely onthe facts--setting up a difficult legal situation for the automakers shouldthey appeal this case. "Instead of the automakers thinking of excuses, it’s time for them to puttheir immense know-how toward solving some of our most pressing problems.This ruling will compel the U.S. automakers to make the kind of clean,efficient cars Americans want--the kind that foreign automakers have usedto surge to record profits as the U.S. auto industry buckled under theweight of its gas guzzlers. This ruling is good for the environment, goodfor America, and, ultimately, good for the automakers. "While the importance of this victory can scarcely be overstated, it’s nowtime for the Bush Administration’s EPA to get out of the way and grantCalifornia the waiver it and other states need in order to move forwardwith these landmark standards. Congress should also take note of thismomentous decision and give great weight to the judge’s important findingsregarding the automakers claims as it weighs its own action in this area."  # # # The decision can be found at:http://www.vtd.uscourts.gov/Supporting%20Files/Cases/05cv302.pdf
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