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JOINT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS AND THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TO SUPPORT THE WAIVER CALIFORNIA NEEDS TO ACHIEVE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTIONS
WE, your Memorialists, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Maine now assembled in the First Regular Session, most respectfully present and petition the President of the United States, the members of the United States Congress and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, as follows:
WHEREAS, the State of California has implemented more stringent motor vehicle air emissions regulations than the Federal Government for over 40 years; and
WHEREAS,  in recognition of the pioneering role of that state in protecting public health and welfare from motor vehicle emissions, the United States Congress amended the federal Clean Air Act to allow the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency to waive federal preemption of state motor vehicle standards; and
WHEREAS,  once a waiver is granted to California for that regulation, other states may adopt the vehicle emissions standards established by California; and
WHEREAS,  according to the Congressional Research Service, California has requested waivers of preemption for vehicle emissions standards more than 50 times since that provision was enacted and the Administrator has never denied such a request, but has always granted the request, in whole or in part; and
WHEREAS,  President Barack H. Obama has directed the administrator to reconsider California's waiver request that was rejected by the previous administration, and the administrator has started the process to reconsider California's request; and
WHEREAS,  an analysis by the California Air Resources Board shows that the California standards, once fully adopted, would result in twice the amount of carbon dioxide cumulative reduction emissions in California and an 80% greater reduction in carbon dioxide emissions nationally by 2020 than would be achieved under the federal act; and
WHEREAS,  13 states and the District of Columbia have already taken steps to follow California's emissions standards, which include the new greenhouse gas reductions and which are estimated will reduce global warming pollution by more than 450 million metric tons by 2020, a reduction equivalent to eliminating all of the pollution from 84.7 million of today's cars for a year; and
WHEREAS,  the State of Maine supports California's right under the Clean Air Act to set stricter standards than the Federal Government for motor vehicle emissions and the rights of other states to then follow California's standards; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, your Memorialists, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to oppose preemption of state laws and regulations to reduce global warming emissions that are stronger than federal laws or regulations, and we respectfully urge and request that the President of the United States and the United States Congress encourage the United States Environmental Protection Agency to grant California the waiver necessary to achieve greenhouse gas reductions from motor vehicles as required by state law; and be it further;
RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the Honorable Barack H. Obama, President of the United States, to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to the United States Environmental Protection Agency and to each member of the Maine Congressional Delegation.