California passed a carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction law for vehicles in 2002 (AB 1493). Now in an election year frenzy, California Governor Arnold Schwarzezegger and Democratic legislators have passed another law (AB 32) to reduce CO2 from all sources by 2020. Californians better get ready to start holding their breath. The new law, like the old law, is being challenged by the industry. The general provisions of the law include mandatory regulations, incentives and market-based cap-and-trading. Didn't President Bush push cap-and-trading in the Clear Skies Initiative that would have cut sulfur, nitrogen and mercury emissions by 70% by 2018 and the left balked? The current Cali CO2 law like the last law has the California Air Resources Board drafting regs by 2009 that go into effect in 2012. Blue East coast states have laws and are developing regs to cut CO2 emissions by 10 percent by 2019. Is California really leading like it used to, or are they merely imitating and following themselves? These political CO2 laws will not reduce human produced global carbon dioxide emissions. (L.A. Times)
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