WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- California's bid to sue major U.S. and Japanese carmakers over tailpipe emissions has been quashed by a Washington judge, who said it is a federal issue.
The state's suit against General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., Chrysler, Toyota Motor Co., Honda North America and Nissan North America sought millions of dollars for alleged damages from emissions-related problems such as drought, beach erosion and warmer temperatures.
U.S. District Judge Martin Jenkins ruled Monday that California was seeking to "punish (automakers) for lawfully selling their automobiles both within California and outside California in the global market," and wrote the state should take their issue to the U.S. Congress instead, the Detroit News reported.
In April in an environmentally related challenge to a Vermont law, the Supreme Court's also ruled the Environmental Protection Agency has the right to regulate vehicle emissions as an air pollutant, the report said.
