EPA Accused Of Stalling On Emissions

New York City and New York State are among the 20 governments that are attempting to force the federal Environmental Protection Agency to move more quickly in regulating the greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles that many scientists say are contributing to the warming of the planet.

Yesterday, the state and local governments filed a petition in federal court in Washington, D.C., alleging that the EPA is stalling in response to instructions from the U.S. Supreme Court last year regarding the EPA's role in regulating the emission of gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. A year ago, the high court told the EPA that greenhouse gases found in auto emissions, such as carbon dioxide, do fall under the agency's purview. In essence, the court gave the agency a choice between regulating the gases in auto emissions or explaining why such gases do not, in fact, lead to climate change.

So far the EPA has done neither. An agency spokesman said the delay is linked to the EPA's considering the possibility of regulating greenhouse gases emitted by industries, not just automobiles. The Supreme Court's decision looked at greenhouse gases only in the context of automobiles.

Describing the agency's approach as "holistic," a spokesman, Jonathan Shradar, said the EPA "is evaluating all sources up front."

"There has been unreasonable delay," a lawyer for the city of New York, Scott Pasternack, said, adding that the EPA has been responding to requests to regulate automobile greenhouse gas emissions for nine years.