We've blogged before (for instance, go here and here) about the Obama Administration's new vehicle fuel economy standards. Yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration jointly issued the final rule to implement those standards. The rule requires average fuel economy to hit 35.5 mpg by 2016 and 54.5 mpg by 2025. (That's an improvement over where we are, but in case you think that's great, consider that Japan and the EU are nearly at the 2025 standards today.)
Here's a quote from the agencies' press release:
The Obama Administration today finalized groundbreaking standards that will increase fuel economy to the equivalent of 54.5 mpg for cars and light-duty trucks by Model Year 2025. When combined with previous standards set by this Administration, this move will nearly double the fuel efficiency of those vehicles compared to new vehicles currently on our roads. In total, the Administration’s national program to improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions will save consumers more than $1.7 trillion at the gas pump and reduce U.S. oil consumption by 12 billion barrels. "These fuel standards represent the single most important step we’ve ever taken to reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” said President Obama. “This historic agreement builds on the progress we’ve already made to save families money at the pump and cut our oil consumption. By the middle of the next decade our cars will get nearly 55 miles per gallon, almost double what they get today. It’ll strengthen our nation's energy security, it's good for middle class families and it will help create an economy built to last." * * * The standards also represent historic progress to reduce carbon pollution and address climate change. Combined, the Administration’s standards will cut greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks in half by 2025, reducing emissions by 6 billion metric tons over the life of the program – more than the total amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the United States in 2010.
This LA Times story discusses the new rules and notes Mitt Romney's opposition to the "extreme standards that President Obama has imposed." Mr. Romney may not know that many other countries have stricter standards and that the auto industry negotiated with the Obama Administration over the new rules and supports them (as the LA Times article indicates). The auto industry is not typically characterized by Republican politicians as "extremist."
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