Court won’t hear dispute over Calif. fuel standard

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court won’t hear a challenge to California’s first-in-the-nation mandate requiring fuel producers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The justices on Monday turned away appeals from fuel makers that say the law discriminates against out-of-state producers.

The mandate requires petroleum refiners and fuel distributors to make cleaner-burning fuels for the California market.

Out-of-state oil refiners and ethanol companies say the law provides an unfair advantage to in-state producers by giving a higher “carbon-intensity score” to fuels transported from other states.

The state says the law simply offers incentives for companies that make cleaner-burning fuels.

A U.S. district judge agreed with the challengers. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, saying the law gives all fuel makers options to get their product to market.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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