National Briefing | Washington: Senate Panel Supports California Emissions Waiver

A Senate panel approved a measure to reverse a ruling by the Environmental Protection Agency and let California enforce auto emission standards that are tougher than federal law. The Committee on Environment and Public Works voted 10 to 9 to amend the Clean Air Act to grant California’s request for a waiver from E.P.A. rules that prohibit states from establishing their own pollution restrictions. Fourteen other states have adopted or are adopting the California standards and seek similar waivers from the federal rules.