Over the objections of the auto industry, California's Air Resources Board (CARB) Jan. 27 approved landmark new auto emissions standards that include a first-time limit on particulate matter (PM) that goes beyond what is expected in EPA's increasingly controversial “Tier III” fuel and vehicle rule, which is slated for release later this Spring.

Key House and Senate lawmakers and White House officials are suggesting momentum is building in Congress for a transportation bill that could include a directive for an electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure plan, though details of the funding mechanisms to pay for the transportation measure remain under wraps.