The battle between Gov. Schwarzenegger and the Environmental Protection Agency is far from being over. According to Friday’s statement of the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, the problem enters the attention of the U.S. Congress, which will closely examine EPA’s refusal to grant California the right to impose its own standards and regulations on the carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles.

EPA’s Administrator Stephen L. Johnson, who was the man responsible for the decision, explained that “President Bush and the Congress have set the bar high and, when fully implemented, our federal fuel economy standard will achieve significant benefits by applying to all 50 states,” and that by granting each state the right to impose its own regulations, the situation would only become more confusing.

Talking about the energy bill Congress recently passed and Johnson said:  "The Bush Administration is moving forward with a clear national solution - not a confusing patchwork of state rules - to reduce America’s climate footprint from vehicles."

“Administration Johnson stands behind his decision. Greenhouse gas emissions are global in nature and California is not exclusive in facing this challenge,” said an EPA spokesman.

The case will undergo further investigations, as Rep. Henry Waxman, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee said, adding that the Environmental Protection Agency should preserve the entire documentation gathered so far.

Waxman reportedly wrote to Johnson that his decision appears to ignore all the available evidence and requirements of the Clean Air Act, and that the decision shouldn’t have been only his. According to Waxman, the EPA Administrator ignored the recommendations of other members of his staff on the waiver.

President Bush gave his full support to Johnson after the decision, and said in a news conference: “The question is how to have an effective strategy. Is it more effective to let each state make a decision as to how to proceed in curbing greenhouse gases or is it more effective to have a national strategy?"

In the meantime, the majorities seems to disagree with both the President and the EPA representative, and, together with Gov. Schwarzenegger, are decided to overturn the decision on the waiver.