New York City [1] joined with five states on Wednesday in announcing its intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency if the federal government continues to not take action against pollution created by off-road vehicles, ships and aircraft, according to the Daily News [2]. The plaintiffs contend that the Bush administration has not put in place the necessary restrictions to combat greenhouse gas emissions.

California District Attorney Jerry Brown voiced disappointment over the lack of work the EPA has done to reduce gas emissions.California Attorney General Jerry Brown [3] sent a letter Thursday to the EPA announcing the intent to sue. New York City, Connecticut, New Jersey, Oregon and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection are joining California in the effort. The move comes after the EPA [4] rejected a proposal last year from 16 states seeking to impose their own emission standards on vehicles.

Greenhouse gas emissions from off-road vehicles, ships and aircraft are significant. All of the off-road vehicles in the country produce as much pollution as 40 million cars, while ships account for three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. "There's only five countries that release more carbon annually than the global shipping fleet," said Jacqueline Savitz, a marine scientist at Oceana [5], an ocean conservation group. "The idea of not regulating the shipping fleet is like not regulating Japan."