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Scott Jagow: Our demand for oil and gasoline is front and center in the debate over global warming. Many states want automakers to reduce car emissions. The car companies say they can’t. But yesterday, a federal judge said, uh, yes, you can. Jeff Tyler exaplains.

Jeff Tyler: When it comes to regulating auto emissions, states have been choosing between federal standards or typically tougher ones set by California.

When Vermont chose to adopt the Golden State’s proposed new standards,
the auto industry cried foul. Car makers claim they don’t have the technology to cut carbon dioxide emissions 30 percent by 2016. Plus, they argue, the standards would impose devastating new costs on the industry.

The judge rejected those arguments.

David Doniger is a senior lawyer with the Natural Resources Defense Council:

David Doniger: If the car companies put their engineers to work instead of hiring lawyers, they would already have solved this problem. All the technology that is needed to meet these standards is already on some cars. They simply need to put it on all cars.

States still have one hurdle left before they can implement anything: approval from the EPA. The agency is expected to issue a decision by the end of the year.

I’m Jeff Tyler for Marketplace.