Anti-pollution measures in for legislative battle

Alison Hawkes article on the battle over mercury and auto emissions standards. DEP plans to set higher standards than the federal requirement. While many legislators have objected, DEP's decision will stand unless legislation is passed and signed. The Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill to adopt the federal standards that is stuck in House Committee.

Consider the irony in DEP's rationale (quoted in the article) for higher standards: "Politically, other states look to Pennsylvania as a bellwether state on environmental issues. It's not like Massachusetts or California passing something." Translation: we're not perceived as radical environmentalists like California. Yet the DEP proposal would tie our auto emissions standards to those in California.