Today President Obama announced his long awaited new plan for a better national fuel efficiency and auto emissions standards program. The program is set to launch on vehicles in model year 2012. Currently, 2009 the average fuel efficiency standard for cars and light trucks is 25 mpg. The new plan is to raise, “The fuel economy standards to an industry average of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016.” Obama notes that this will save “1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the vehicles sold in the next five years.” Of course the planet perk is that less fuel used will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from tailpipes, save energy overall and hopefully stall climate change.

According to Environment News Service;

The world’s major automakers said in a joint statement today that they support the President’s commitment to establish a national program that will reduce carbon emissions and increase fuel economy.

“For seven long years, there has been a debate over whether states or the federal government should regulate autos. President Obama’s announcement ends that old debate by starting a federal rulemaking to set a National Program,” said Dave McCurdy, president and chief executive of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

“Automakers are committed to working with the President to develop a national program administered by the federal government,” he said. “All industries will be called upon to reduce carbon emissions. Automakers play an important role.”

This is just one more step that is going to make Obama the greenest prez yet. Read the entire news release on the new emission and fuel plan – What do you think of

Post from: Blisstree

Obama’s New Fuel & Emissions Standards