Whether it’s a fight over pollution in the Androscoggin River or new regulations on automobile emissions, proponents of the status quo often argue that tougher rules put the environment ahead of the economy.

Two new studies, unveiled in California as part of the debate over the state’s efforts to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide evidence to the contrary.

California has long led the nation in efforts to cut the production of greenhouse gases. Last year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions drastically by 2050.

With its forward-looking energy and pollution policies, Maine is following the example set by California. The state is part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which includes most of the Northeast and will create a market-based system for reducing pollution from power plants. The state has also moved to adopt California’s aggressive tailpipe emissions standards for new cars and trucks.

In both cases, industry has argued that the environmentally friendly policies would hurt the economy and cost jobs. The Center for Clean Air Policy and researchers from the Climate Change Center at the University of California, Berkeley, say otherwise.

Ned Helme, president of the Center for Clean Air Policy in Washington, D.C., told the Los Angeles Times that the intermediate steps proposed by California could be done cheaply and that the savings from more efficient use of energy would save consumers money and create jobs.

The state also stands to save by addressing greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global climate change, sooner rather than later. The Berkeley scientists told the Times that early-acting states also will have a competitive advantage over those that fail to act because they will be on the cutting edge of new technology and investment.

Compared to California, Maine is small potatoes. Alone, California has the sixth-largest economy in the world, behind only the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom and France. When it sets tough emission standards, it can cause a ripple around the world.

Maine, by itself, can never match that influence. But by working as part of regional cooperatives and continuing its progressive approach to reduced greenhouse gas emissions, Maine can maintain its status as an environmental leader.

As the state competes with others for new businesses and population, that commitment will pay off in growth, innovation and a healthier planet.