Recently in Manufacturing Category

After years of delays and denials from the Bush EPA, California finally has permission to impose strict regulations on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by cars in the state. 

The formal waiver under the Clean Air Act allows California to require automakers to increase the efficiency of the vehicles they intend to sell in California by 40% over the next seven years, resulting in an average fuel economy of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016.

President Obama proposed a national standard for automobiles in May that would largely mirror California's plan.  Since many states have already signaled their intention to follow California's lead, today's decision could speed implementation of the national standard.

This would be good news for the auto industry, since they could focus on one standard rather than 50. 

This national standard would be just the first step in the Obama administration's plan to expand regulation of pollution linked to climate change. 

As I wrote last week, many corporate counsel in energy and manufacturing companies have already begun consulting with environmental experts to get a sense of their current greenhouse gas impact, and to explore ways of complying with the eventual regulations.

After the Supreme Court's decision in Massachusetts v. EPA, which found that the agency has the ability under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from new motor vehicles, the Bush administration dragged its feet when it came to actually regulating the gases. 

The Obama administration, on the other hand, is moving forward at full speed.  On April 17, the EPA released a finding that carbon dioxide and four other greenhouse gases are harmful to public health.  This now obligates the EPA to set rules for the emissions from new automobiles.

It looks like the antitrust scene is starting to heat up again. 

First, Christine Varney, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the DoJ's Antitrust Division, announced that the DoJ under President Obama would pursue antitrust charges more vigorously than under the Bush administration. 

It's a lesson that Troy H. Ellis, former chief counsel for Invista, knows all too well, according to this article in the National Law Journal. 

Ellis was recently censured by the Supreme Court of Kansas after he was caught on film stealing food from Invista's onsite cafeteria.  The company claims on its website to be the world's largest producer of nylon and spandex.

Ellis tried to "stretch" his way out of the mess by claiming that the whole imbroglio occurred because he was working so hard that he simply forgot to pay for his meal.  He claims that he intended to cover the cost of the food after he returned from a business trip.