Today, in a blow to Mayor Bloomberg’s environmental plan, a judge blocked the city’s effort to require taxi owners and operators to switch to fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles. The mayor said he was “disappointed” in the decision, which could hurt other cities’ environmental efforts: “The decision is not a ruling against hybrid cabs, rather a ruling that archaic Washington regulations are applicable and therefore New York City, and all other cities, are prevented from choosing to create cleaner air and a healthier place to live.” Incidentally, the judge, Paul Crotty, was the city’s corporation counsel under Rudy Giuliani. Which makes us wonder: Would some people rather choke to death on fumes than hand Bloomberg a victory at this point? [City Room/NYT]
