Levin trying to gut energy bill and Bush is piggybacking

Sen. Carl Levin is reportedly trying to jigger things, in the name of getting EPA and the Transportation Department on the same page, to restrict the ability of California to enact more stringent pollution controls, most namely, now, on carbon dioxide.

Shock me that a Michigander in Congress would do this, even after this backdoor gutting of the bill had already been shut down in the House.

Of course, the Polluter-in-Chief is ready to go along for the ride.

Both Levin and Bush argue that just one agency should have actual authority over mileage and related issues, and both want to put EPA in a purely advisory position.

Shockingly, this comes after the Supreme Court ruled this summer that EPA can regulate CO2; tie that with the EPA letting California set more stringent pollution rules, and you have the basis for California to set tougher CO2 standards, and for states that have EPA waivers to follow California on other issues to do so here.

In essence, both Levin and Bush want to do an end run on the SCOTUS ruling, pull the rug out from under California and tag-along states, and keep CO2 regs off the U.S. table – period.

Don’t believe the lies about wanting to coordinate government agencies; it’s all about gutting CO2 regs.

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FINALLY — new car/truck/SUV mileage standards could be on tap

Without Michgan gasbag Carl Levin able to block, the Senate has approved a 35mpg standard. for cars, pickups and SUVs.

The Senate energy bill is still weak. The 35mpg standard doesn’t hit until 2020, with Levin saying he’s still going to work to kill it. Senate Republicans killed a $29 billion tax on oil companies to pay for renewable energy development, a pittance compared to what most Western nations, especially in Europe, finance.

Also bad, bad is a requirement that half of cars be able to flex-fuel on 85 percent ethanol by 2015. Ethanol from corn is energy-neutral at best, possibly energy-negative. It’s also not that much lighter on CO2 emissions than conventional gasoline.

But, it’s something.

Its strongest point is to put pickups and SUVs under the same overall mileage standards, thus killing a HUGE loophole.

And, this is a fair part of why Levin opposes it, I think.

Detroit builds most of its SUVs on truck platforms; Tokyo on car rails. So, Japanese SUVs get better gas mileage, and can be further improved more easily

Tough shit, Carl. The Not-So-Big Three have had 33 years since the first oil embargo

Cross posted at SocraticGadfly.

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