Business leaders in Houston say they support California's low emission vehicle standards and have called on Texas to follow suit.

The Greater Houston Partnership, an advocate for area businesses and economic development in the city, passed a resolution endorsing the Texas legislature's move to adopt California tough standards on vehicle emissions.

This announcement may come as a surprise and has put some environmental groups on guard as it reverses an earlier decision the partnership made in 1992 to oppose California's standards in Texas.
Another surprise is that this decision comes from the biggest oil producers. 2007 executive partners of the Greater Houston Partnership (a 501 (c) 6 non-profit, member driven organization) include Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Shell.

Of course oil isn't the only voice on the partnership's board, but it is a prominent one. An endorsement like this could send a signal to automakers to re-think their stance on the issue. The reasoning behind the partnership's decision, in part, is that a city with cleaner air will be more likely to attract businesses and new residents.

Via SustainableBusiness.com; Reuters; Greater Houston Partnership