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US President Barack Obama began reversing the climate policies
of the Bush administration, clearing the way for new rules to force
auto makers to produce more fuel-efficient and less polluting
cars.
The president told the US Environmental Protection Agency to
reconsider immediately a request by California to impose its own
strict limits on vehicle carbon dioxide emissions, blamed for
contributing to global warming.
The Democratic Obama took over last Wednesday from former President
George W. Bush, whose Republican administration had denied the
request, prompting California and other states to sue.
"The federal government must work with, not against, states to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Obama said at the White House,
taking a stab at his predecessor's policies.
"California has shown bold and bipartisan leadership through its
effort to 21st century standards. And over a dozen states have
followed its lead."
Obama's directive, which is likely to result in a formal change in
coming months, could prompt as many as 18 states to follow
California's lead by putting into effect tailpipe emissions
standards that are tougher than federal requirements.
The president directed the Department of Transportation to move
forward with setting vehicle fuel efficiency standards for model
year 2011 by March, giving automakers an 18-month period to
prepare.
The rules piled pressure on an ailing car industry struggling to
survive in a deepening recession with the help of federal
bailouts.
General Motors Corp said it is "working aggressively" to develop
better hybrids and electric cars to reduce emissions and improve
mileage, but policymakers must weigh in economic factors when
making their decision.
"We're ready to engage the Obama administration and Congress on
policies that support meaningful and workable solutions and
targets," the company said in a statement.
Their future may be more troubled as the US recession deepens.
Economists polled by Reuters in advance of Friday's Gross Domestic
Product report think GDP contracted at a 5.4 percent rate on an
annualized basis in the fourth quarter, which would be the worst
performance since 1982.
Signals on environment
The Obama directive pleased environmentalists, who supported his
election but could annoy labor unions, another key constituency,
whose members are embittered about the loss of auto jobs.
Obama said the policy shift would help carmakers in the long
run.
"Our goal is not to further burden an already struggling industry,
it is to help America's automakers prepare for the future," he
said.
California's Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger urged the
Obama administration last week to review the pollution emissions
decision.
"It is clear that California and the environment now have a strong
ally in the White House," he said in a statement, welcoming the
move.
"Allowing California and other states to aggressively reduce their
own harmful vehicle tailpipe emissions would be a historic win for
clean air and for millions of Americans who want more
fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly cars."
Democratic lawmakers in Washington hailed the measure as a step
toward energy independence and clean air, but some Republicans
accused him of setting back the struggling US auto industry.
The moves signaled Obama's desire to move forward quickly with his
campaign promises to fight climate change and reduce US dependence
on foreign oil.
Obama laid out broad principles that he said his administration
would follow. It was time for the United States to lead on climate
change, he said, and reduce its dependence on foreign oil.
"It will be the policy of my administration to reverse our
dependence on foreign oil," he said, adding previous
administrations had made similar goals.
"We need more than the same old empty promises. We need to show
that this time it will be different," he said.
The US State Department is expected to name Todd Stern, a senior
White House official under former President Bill Clinton, as its
climate change envoy, two people familiar with the decision
said.
Stern coordinated the Clinton administration's Initiative on Global
Climate Change from 1997 to 1999 and acted as the senior White
House negotiator in the Kyoto negotiations on climate change.
