AQMD RULE GOES BEFORE HIGH COURT.Byline: Lisa Friedman Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - Ordering large fleet operators to buy lower-emission vehicles works like any other incentive program and doesn't unduly burden engine manufacturers, an attorney for the South Coast Air Quality Management District The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), formed in 1976, is the air pollution agency responsible mainly for regulating stationary sources of air pollution for most of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside County, and all of Orange county. told the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday. But diesel engine makers, petroleum manufacturers and the Bush administration argued that the AQMD AQMD Air Quality Management District AQMD Action Quake Map Depot rule, aimed at cutting Southern California's diesel and gasoline emissions, violates federal law because it amounts to banning the sale of diesel engines. ``You have to consider that all 50 states, or in this case every local jurisdiction, could follow suit,'' said Carter Phillips, attorney for the Engine Manufacturers Association and Western States Petroleum Association, which are fighting the emissions regulations. ``Make no mistake about it,'' added U.S. Solicitor General An officer of the U.S. Justice Department who represents the federal government in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. The solicitor general is charged with representing the Executive Branch of the U.S. government in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Ted Olson, ``these fleet rules are directly related to emissions standards.'' In a region that has become synonymous with synonymous with adjective equivalent to, the same as, identical to, similar to, identified with, equal to, tantamount to, interchangeable with, one and the same as smog, the battle over Southern California's emissions requirements has become a closely watched case. The AQMD regulation, which applies to most of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , San Bernardino San Bernardino, city, United States San Bernardino (săn bûr'nədē`nō), city (1990 pop. 164,164), seat of San Bernardino co., S Calif., at the foot of the San Bernardino Mts.; inc. 1854. , Orange and Riverside counties, requires public or private companies with more than 15 vehicles to use cleaner-fuel vehicles or lower-emission vehicles when they replace or expand their fleets. The policy extends to buses, street sweepers, trash trucks and airport shuttles. Environmentalists and state air quality officials contend the Supreme Court's ruling - which is expected later this year - will set the tone for the future of clean air standards. However, engine manufacturers maintain allowing jurisdictions to create a hodgepodge hodge·podge n. A mixture of dissimilar ingredients; a jumble. [Alteration of Middle English hochepot, from Old French, stew; see hotchpot. of separate standards will harm the industry and the national economy. Some of the Supreme Court justices appeared to lean in favor of California's regulations, casting the argument in terms of a state's right to set its own laws. Lisa Friedman, (202) 662-8731 lisa.friedman(at)langnews.com |
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