We just learned that a federal judge in Vermont has ruled against the U.S. auto industry’s attempt to block California and 14 other states from setting new limits on global warming pollution from automobiles.

Judge William K. Sessions found that industry failed to show that it could not meet the tailpipe standards, that the standards would endanger drivers, or that Congress has preempted States from adopting the California standards.

We’ll provide more details as we receive them.

UPDATE: 

The opinion is 240 pages and is available HERE.

Note that U.S. EPA must still grant California a waiver before California, Vermont, or any other state may implement the California standards.  And, of course, industry likely will appeal the ruling.

The Burlington Free Press has a story quoting Vermont Attorney General William Sorell as saying: "This is a huge win.  If you are concerned about the environment in general and global warming specifically, it is a great day.  The judge looked at the law and said it isn’t even a close call."

Here’s Environmental Defense’s release, and here’s a summary by Jim Tripp, General Counsel at Environmental Defense who (along with others) presented arguments to the Judge at trial.  Congratulations to Jim, Vermont, New York, and everyone else involved in the case.

Here are additional press releases from the Vermont Attorney General’s Office, Conservation Law Foundation, Sierra Club, and NRDC. 

Here’s a report from the Detroit news.  Here’s more from the NYT, Washington Post, San Fran Chronicle, and LA Times.

Tim Dowling