Carmakers can’t block emission standards

[cal04]

http://www.projo.com/news/content/emissions_27_11-27-08_T8CEFVG_v5.382b533.html

Automakers cannot sue to block Rhode Island from enforcing tighter standards on tailpipe emissions first adopted by California because the industry has already lost similar lawsuits elsewhere, a federal judge has ruled.

Senior U.S. District Judge Ernest C. Torres dismissed General Motors Corp., DaimlerChrysler Corp. and two automakers associations from the case, but his ruling permits several local car dealers to pursue the lawsuit for now. The automobile manufacturers have lost similar lawsuits in California and Vermont.

Daimler AG divested its Chrysler unit to Cerberus Capital Management in 2007, but still retains a 20 percent stake in the newly created firm, Chrysler LLC.

In his ruling, Torres said allowing another lawsuit would be a waste of court resources.

“It is difficult to see what interest the public has in permitting the plaintiffs another bite of the apple in challenging regulations limiting the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere,” Torres said in the ruling, which was signed Monday and made public Tuesday.

[geckosfeet]

1. Bite it big three - soon to be two if you don't clean up your act. eom

[wtmusic]

2. Suing combined with intensive lobbying

successfully eliminated CA's zero emission mandate. Automakers not only didn't lose the suit, but worked out a favorable settlement (for them).