BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) – Vermont leaders are expressing dismay at an effort by the Bush administration to drum up opposition to new state rules designed to reduce vehicle carbon emissions, amid growing concern that the rules will be rejected by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The administration’s lobbying effort is being conducted behind the scenes with approval from the White House, help from the auto industry and under the personal direction of U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, according to documents made public by a congressional committee.

Gov. Jim Douglas is “disappointed” in the apparent effort by the Bush White House to scuttle emissions rules adopted first by California and later by Vermont, Maine and several other states, said Douglas’ spokesman, Jason Gibbs.

The governor is drafting a letter to the White House “”outlining the governor’s frustration and concern,” Gibbs said.

“If Secretary Peters has a point of view, then she should submit open public comments to the EPA rather than operating a covert lobbying campaign,” Gibbs said.

At issue is whether the EPA should grant the waiver required under the Clean Air Act for California and other states to go ahead with rules designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks 30 percent by 2016. A federal judge in Vermont recently rejected a suit by automakers aimed at blocking the rules.

While the White House hasn’t formally stated its opposition to the rules, Peters and her staff at the Department of Transportation have been working to get governors and members of Congress to go public opposing them, the documents show.

“S1 (Secretary Peters) asked that we develop some ideas asap about facilitating a pushback from governors (esp. D’s) and others opposed to piecemeal regulation of emissions, as per CA’s waiver petition,” said one e-mail from Jeff Shane, undersecretary of transportation for policy, to another DOT staff member.

The Department of Transportation defended its efforts, saying in a statement that the lobbying is “legal, appropriate and consistent with our long-held position on this issue.”

Word of the lobbying campaign has added to pessimism that the EPA will take the rare step of denying a request by California for a waiver under the Clean Air Act.

“There is a very real danger that they will simply deny the waiver with trumped-up arguments, because the EPA is completely under the thumb of industry and under direct orders from the White House,” said Steve Hinchman, a lawyer for the Conservation Law Foundation who helped Vermont defend its rules in federal court.

“Then the states will have to litigate the rules yet again,” he said.

AP-ES-09-26-07 1141EDT

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