California and 16 other states were denied on Wednesday the right to impose their own standards and regulations for carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles. The Environmental Protection Agency, responsible for the rejection of the forwarded proposal, stated through its Administrator Stephen L. Johnson that California needed authority to write its own standards for greenhouse gas emissions.

Johnson said to reporters that “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. President Bush and 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. ” He also added: “I believe this is a better approach than if individual states were to act alone.”

The decision was a controversial one and provoked numerous debates regarding the reasons that determined the E.P.A. to reject California’s request. Rumors say the decision might have been taken under political pressure, and the 17 states representatives and the environmental activists are in for a fight with the authorities in order to change it.

California had made this proposal years ago, without it being approved by the federal government. The emission standards proposed would ultimately force the automakers to cut significantly on their car’s emissions, with 23 percent by 2012 and 30 percent by 2016.

E.P.A’s conclusions have raised questions on whether the decision was political and this was Johnson’s holiday gift for the automakers, which are declared supporters of the 50-state nationwide program.

It is a first for California to have been rejected, considering the other 50 waivers the federal government had previously granted the state. The drastic measures California and the other 16 states were willing to make would have meant the automakers would have to introduce significant changes starting with 2009.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of a state dealing with severe smog problems, said in a statement: “It is disappointing that the federal government is standing in our way and ignoring the will of tens of millions of people across the nation. We will continue to fight this battle.”