California’s request for a waiver that would allow it to set its own, more stringent standards for emissions from cars and trucks, and which had been denied under the Bush Administration, has finally been approved by the EPA. That’s pretty good news by itself, but it’s actually bigger than one state’s request, there are plenty of others lined up waiting to follow California’s lead.

The EPA’s granting of the waiver request immediately clears the way for California and 13 additional states to require reductions in tailpipe emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. The Clean Air Act gives California special authority to enact stricter air pollution standards for motor vehicles than the federal government’s, but EPA must approve a waiver of federal standards before California’s rules can take effect.

When it comes to emission standards, california has kind of the same influence that Texas does in high school text books. Their decisions affect so many people that manufacturers and publishers are practically forced to adopt the state standard as a national standard. So it could very well be that the EPA’s grant of a waiver for California is in essence the first step in a stricter national standard for greenhouse gas emissions for the entire country.