Appeals court upholds CA climate measure

Associated Press

A U.S. appeals court has again rejected a challenge by the oil and gas industry to a key part of California’s efforts to fight climate change.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Jan. 19 unanimously upheld the state’s 2015 low carbon fuel standard requiring fuel producers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

State officials recently amended the standard to mandate a 20 percent reduction by 2030 in the carbon output of fuels used for transportation in California.

Fuel producers argued that the standard discriminates against some producers.

The 9th Circuit previously rejected a similar challenge. It said Jan. 19 that California had attempted to address a vitally important environmental issue.

A spokeswoman for the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers Association said lawyers were reviewing the decision.

- ASSOCIATED PRESS