ALLOWED TO LEAD: U.S. EPA FOLLOWS THROUGH ON CALIFORNIA'S REQUEST FOR CLEANER CAR STANDARDS

On Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted California's waiver to implement a landmark clean cars program to reduce global warming pollution from new vehicles.

California has waited for this day for quite some time. State lawmaker Fran Pavley authored legislation in 2002 establishing the vehicle emission reduction targets. Governor Schwarzenegger first requested a Clean Air Act waiver from the EPA to implement the targets in December of 2005. This request was denied by the Bush Administration in 2008. Shortly after taking office, President Obama directed the EPA to re-examine the denial.

Why all the bureaucratic hassle to get cleaner cars? Under the federal Clean Air Act, California is in a unique position to set emission standards that are stricter than the federal standards as long as the state receives a waiver from the federal government. Once California receives a waiver, other states can then choose to adopt California's standard. Thirteen other states and the District of Columbia, have adopted California's standard, which would cut global warming emissions from passenger vehicles by 30% by 2016. California's law has also influenced President Obama to move forward with a similar national standard that should be adopted shortly. 

Congratulations to all the environmental advocates who have worked tirelessly for cleaner cars over the last decade!

GREEN MONEY: STRATEGIC GROWTH COUNCIL SETTING GUIDELINES FOR GRANT FUNDING

Last Wednesday, the recently-formed Strategic Growth Council held their quarterly meeting to discuss how to distribute $160 million for smart growth planning as well as urban greening programs from Proposition 84.

Created last year by SB 732 (Steinberg) the Council is charged with developing a process to coordinate state agency activities to support the planning and development of more sustainable communities. Their activities could be particularly helpful in the implementation of SB 375, California's new law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from smarter land use and transportation decisions. 

The Council consists of the Director of the Governor's Office of Planning and Research; the Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency; the Secretary for the California Environmental Protection Agency; the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing; the Secretary of California Health and Human Services; and public member Robert Fisher, who was appointed by the Governor.

The Council hopes to develop grant guidelines for the $160 million by January 2010 and begin awarding funds later that year. PCL's Matt Vander Sluis spoke at the meeting, asking that the grant guidelines prioritize projects that improve public health and require strong public participation commitments.