President Obama Signs Memo Allowing States to Set Stricter Emissions Standards
President Barack Obama signed a memorandum today that will allow states to set stricter auto emissions standards. The previous administration declined to grant California a waiver.
President Obama signed a memorandum Monday requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider an application by California to set more stringent auto emissions and fuel efficiency standards than required by federal law.
If the EPA grants a waiver allowing California to set its own emissions standards, the nation's largest state will be allowed to require automakers to produce trucks and cars that get better mileage than what is required under the current national standard.
Thirteen other states could take similar action.
"It will be the policy of my administration to reverse our dependence on foreign oil," Obama said. [...]
Besides the EPA waivers, Obama also called for automakers to increase their fuel efficiency standards nationwide.
The president also directed the federal government to make its buildings more energy efficient and to find new ways for federal agencies to save energy.
Check out the WhiteHouse.gov blog for the President's full remarks.
The second memo paves the way for California and more than a dozen other states to raise emissions standards above and beyond the national standard. They'd asked to do so before, but the Bush administration had denied the request.
"Instead of serving as a partner, Washington stood in their way," President Obama said. "The days of Washington dragging its heels are over."
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