California has finally got bored of waiting for permission to enforce higher environmental standards on car manufacturers. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is now moving to sue the Environmental Protection Agency, who have to issue a waiver to national laws so he can limit greenhouse gas emissions from new cars. This is getting massive play in the local press (for example: Copley News Service, SF Chronicle).

“It is almost two years since we asked for this waiver,” said his spokesman Aaron McLear (Reuters). “The governor feels we have been patient enough. He has met with the EPA administrator and with the president on this and has sent letters to them both. We have done everything we can and now it is time for action.”

The state appears to be generally backing Schwarzenegger. An editorial in the Mercury News notes, “It’s not often we cheer the filing of a lawsuit between two government agencies. But …”

If the EPA does give the go ahead there could be a knock on effect. As AP points out California has a unique status allowing it to enact its own air pollution rules, providing the EPA agrees. But other states can follow either national or Californian standards and a number are hoping to adopt Arnie’s air.

This is not California’s first run in with auto makers. Last month a judge threw out a lawsuit from the state seeking to hold them responsible for global warming. For some, the temptation to wheel out catchphrases is too great. Wired have run with “Governor Arnie to EPA: Hasta La Vista, Bureaucratic Delay Monkeys”.

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