精品学习网教师频道编辑为参教师资格考试的考生搜集整理了：商业托福考试阅读素材：California’sChristmasList:CleanAir等信息，祝愿广大考生取得满意的成绩。
American environmental policy often doesn't start in Washington — it starts in Sacramento. California has been at the forefront of anti-pollution legislation since the days of the Clean Air Act, which was passed in part because auto-induced smog(n.烟雾) was rendering(n.翻译, 表现, 描写, 透视图, 粉刷, 表演, 打底, 复制图) southern California unlivable. The Clean Air Act actually allows California to set its own, stricter vehicle emissions(n.(光、热等的)散发, 发射, 喷射) standards — rather than deferring to Washington — and then allows other states to choose to follow Sacramento's lead. Following in that tradition, in 2005 California passed a law that would tighten greenhouse gas emissions([采矿]瓦斯泄出) from vehicles, starting with 2009 models, eventually leading to a 30% reduction in overall global warming emissions by model year 2016. Sixteen other states, both red and blue, have moved to adopt California's standards since, but to implement the legislation, Sacramento needed a routine waiver(n.[律]自动放弃, 放弃, 弃权, 弃权证书) from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
It should have been simple — such a waiver has been granted to the nation's most populous state more than 50 times in the past. But for nearly two years, the EPA has delayed making a decision. The federal agency says it needs more time to make the right call; its critics claim the Bush Administration is playing politics. Finally today California ran out of patience, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state Attorney General Jerry Brown announced from the steps of the state Capitol that they would sue the EPA, demanding immediate action on the waiver. "California is ready to implement the nation's cleanest standards for vehicle emissions, but we cannot do that until the federal government grants us a waiver," said Schwarzenegger. If the EPA refuses to move, he'd be back. "We sue(vt.控告, 向...请求, 请愿vi.提出诉讼, 提出请求) again, and sue again, and sue again, until we get it."