In The News

Obama issues new greenhouse gas limits, fuel mileage mark for cars

President Obama announced a plan Tuesday, May 19, to limit car and light truck greenhouse gas emissions for the first time ever federally. The plan puts to rest a battle between California and at least 15 other states and U.S. automakers, which raged all the way to the Supreme Court.

Obama said he plans to tie the emissions cuts with a new average mile-per-gallon standard that together will become the “national autos program.” The new mpg standard will be 35.5 for cars and light trucks by the year 2016. Together, the new standards would reportedly add $1,300 to the price tag of the average vehicle.

California’s greenhouse gas limit aimed to cut those emissions by 30 percent for new cars and light trucks by the year 2016. The White House wants to move “toward the 30 percent goal by 2016,” a statement from the White House read.

The first cars affected would be 2012 engine year models, according to the White House.

California sued the EPA in 2007 for failing to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from cars. California sought the Bush administration’s approval of a waiver to allow that state and others who adopted California’s emission law the ability to enforce a stricter standard. Also in 2007, the Supreme Court ruled the EPA has authority to regulate greenhouse gases.

Former EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson denied the waiver request in December 2007.

Chrysler LLC and General Motors Corp., who received billions in government loans recently, fought the states in court, claiming tougher state standards would create a difficult patchwork of rules that carmakers would be forced to navigate.

[email protected]