NYC's top taxi cab lobby became instrumental in killing the city's effort to modernize its yellow cab fleet, effectively defeating Mayor Bloomberg's plan to reduce smog and boost efficiency by introducing more hybrids and doing away with the antiquated 12-mpg Ford Crown Victoria.

Federal Judge Paul Crotty appeased the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade (MTBOT) by ruling that "in cases of fuel economy regulation, the federal government's standards preempt local or state rules," Edmunds Green Car Advisor reports. The MTBOT first attempted to block fleet hybridization back in September, claiming that, unlike the V8 Crown Victoria, hybrids don't meet the necessary safety requirements, endangering both drivers and passengers.

"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," Bloomberg said in his statement.