New National Standard for Emissions and Efficiency

Photo by Pete Souza

President Obama was joined to today by the executives of 10 auto companies, Governor Schwarzenegger (R-CA), Governor Granholm (D-MI) and environmental leaders to announce a new national standard for America’ s fleet of cars and light trucks.

The new policy combines limits on tailpipe emissions and fuel economy requirements into a single national standard – it’s the first time we’ve ever had a federal limit on greenhouse gas emissions for cars.

Under the new program, we’ll raise fuel economy standards to 35 miles per gallon by 2016 and we’ll save 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the vehicles sold in the next five years – more oil than we imported last year from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Libya, and Nigeria combined.

There’s no doubt that this is a gigantic and very important step forward. It’ll breathe new life into the auto industry, by creating a predictable business environment and a reliable market for clean, efficient cars. It’ll reduce our dependence on foreign oil and save American consumers money at the pump. And it’ll have a significant effect on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

It’s also another example of President Obama’s ability to bring together stakeholders on opposing sides to find agreement on our biggest challenges. Last week health care industry leaders agreed to lower health care spending, this week auto companies (who have fought tooth-and-nail any increases in fuel efficiency) embraced a new standard that is going to help us innovate our way to a better environment.

When you consider that the previous administration failed to take any action to address climate change or to even identify carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions as dangerous, this new standard is a sea change in public policy.

But it’s also just one (BIG) victory in the broader fight to pass comprehensive energy and climate change policy… one that’s currently underway in the House Energy & Commerce Committee. Today is a good day for consumers, automakers, our economy and our national security.

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