California officials are preparing to file a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency so the state can regulate greenhouse emissions.
A spokesman for California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said a lawsuit is inevitable if the EPA fails to issue a waiver so California can enact restrictions that would reduce carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles by 30 percent by 2016, The San Jose Mercury News said Friday.
The deadline for the waiver is Monday.
The EPA denied a rumor that the agency might grant a temporary waiver while national greenhouse gas rules are considered, the newspaper said.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this year that the EPA can regulate carbon dioxide as an air pollutant.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
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