The states lead, again

Once again in the absence of leadership from the federal government and Bush administration on environmental issues, the states have had to step into the breach.

Twelve states have joined a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency for its refusal to enforce its own rules on refinery pollution. Washington on Monday signed up along with California, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and two cities, New York and Washington, D.C.

The geographical spread of the states and the bipartisan mix of the key politicians involved reflects the broad concern about EPA's failure to act. The suit says the federal Clean Air Act empowers the agency to require new or renovated oil refineries to install technologies that control global-warming pollution.

Despite the clear statutory arrows pointing the EPA toward enforcement of global climate-change issues, the administration has refused to budge. This is hardly a close call.

Refineries account for an estimated 3 percent of the total energy consumption in the country. Such a scale makes them major emitters of carbon among all industrial processes. Reports put the figure as high as 15 percent .

Local response out of Olympia was strong and across party lines.

Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire described the EPA's behavior as once again failing "to recognize the human health and environmental consequences of air pollution and climate change."

Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna said, "The people of Washington state have always stood up to protect the environment. It's time for leaders in the other Washington to do their part to address smog and global warming."

The EPA is charged by federal law to combat global warming, and the lawsuit represents a clear example of the White House refusing to do so.