usa alternative fuels act., page-8

Read a similar artical in the Adelaide Advetiser yesterday, IF EDE play there cards right this could work out well for us..:)


Obama sets tough new vehicle standards

By Washington correspondent Kim Landers for AM

AM | abc.net.au/am

Posted Wed May 20, 2009 12:28am AEST
Updated Wed May 20, 2009 9:12am AEST
Car manufacturing in the US

* Video: US cars go green (ABC News)
* Audio: New Obama auto policy regulates carbon for the first time (PM)

The United States has embarked upon its first comprehensive effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions from cars, while also reducing the country's reliance on foreign oil.

President Barack Obama has announced tougher fuel efficiency standards for American cars and trucks along with new rules for exhaust emissions.

The deal was forged in secret talks over the past few weeks between the car companies, environmentalists, unions and Mr Obama.

"For the first time in history we have set in motion a national policy aimed at both increasing gas mileage and decreasing greenhouse gas pollution for all new trucks and cars sold in the United States of America," Mr Obama said.

Under the new rules, American cars and trucks will have to get 15 kilometres per litre by 2016. At the moment they average 10 kilometres per litre.

Emissions from all vehicles will have to be cut by 30 per cent, the first attempt by the US to introduce a national limit on any greenhouse gases.

Mr Obama says the plan will also help ease America's dependence on foreign oil.

"Consumers pay less for fuel, which means less money going overseas, and more money to save or spend here at home," he said.

"The economy as a whole runs more efficiently by using less oil, and producing less pollution, and companies like those here today have new incentives to create the technologies and the jobs that will provide smarter ways to power our vehicles."

Dan Becker from the Safe Climate Campaign has welcomed the scheme.

"This decision means that we'll guzzle less gas, save money at the pump, pollute a lot less," he said.

"It's a major signal to the rest of the world that we're serious about solving our global warming problem."

Auto industry

The plans have the support of environmentalists, states, unions and car-makers like Ford, General Motors and Toyota.

"At a time of historic crisis in our auto industry, when domestic auto manufacturers are making painful choices and restructuring their businesses to be viable in the future, this rule provides the clear certainty that will allow these companies to plan for a future in which they're building the cars of the 21st century," Mr Obama said.

Ford chief executive Alan Mulally says the plan lays out clear guidelines.

"It provides us just an absolute clear roadmap for energy independence, energy security and sustainability," he said.

The White House says the scheme will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of closing 190 coal fired power plants, or taking 177 million cars off the road.

Emissions legislation

The Obama Administration is also trying to tackle global warming on another front.

It is supporting climate control legislation that sets a 2020 target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17 per cent from the 2005 levels.

But Republicans like Joe Barton are fighting the legislation.

"You are about to embark on an episode of putting the entire American economy, which is the world's largest, through an absolute economic wringer," he said.

But Mr Obama is determined to get significant progress on climate control legislation by December, when world leaders will meet in Copenhagen to consider co-ordinated steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.