Multiple elements of the Obama Administration are trying to reconcile environmental policy with fiscal policy as it considers California’s waiver request to implement tighter greenhouse gas standards and keep Detroit automakers solvent. The solution may be implementation of higher corporate average fuel economy standards nationally to cut CO2 emissions and avoid a patchwork of standards.
“Now more than ever, we believe that a single, comprehensive, national program that bridges California’s interests with those of other states and the federal government is the most effective way to move us all toward our goals of reduced greenhouse gas emissions.” — Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
Significant Points
Obama administration working to develop single national standard to curb greenhouse-gas emissions from automobiles
Faces complexity reconciling its environmental policy w/ its efforts to bail out Detroit automakers
Administration officials are working on interrelated policies that affect the struggling auto industry
DOT working on new, more rigorous vehicle fuel economy standards for MY2011
Situation
Current fuel-economy standard requires manufacturers’ fleets to average 27.5 mpg cars/23.1 mpg trucks in MY 2009
Automakers must average 35 mpg by MY2020
CA’s CO2 regulations require equivalent of 35 mpg by 2017 and 40+ mpg in 2020
13 states and DC have formally adopted CA standards w/ several others considering following suit
US EPA considering broad restrictions on global warming emissions
US automakers pressing for single emissions standard to apply in all 50 states
