Obama Presses for Tougher Controls on Us Car Emissions

Barack Obama made his opening move in the greening of America's economy yesterday, using his presidential authority to press for tougher emissions controls on half of the country's cars.

In signing a pair of executive orders, Obama delivered his strongest repudiation to date of the policies of George Bush, inviting environmentalists to the White House to announce that America would play a global leadership role on climate change.

In a further sign of Obama's commitment to a green agenda, the state department yesterday named Todd Stern, a former Clinton administration official who played a key role in the Kyoto negotiations, as its envoy on climate change.

As a first step, Obama ordered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider its refusal to allow California and more than a dozen other states to impose stricter controls on emissions from new cars and trucks. He followed up by raising fuel efficiency standards on all cars and light trucks rolling off the assembly line from 2011 onwards.

"Instead of serving as a partner, Washington stood in the way," Obama said in a pointed rebuke of the Bush policies. "The days of Washington dragging its heels are over. My administration will not deny the facts. It will be guided by them."

Private cars are thought to account for about a quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions in America.

Democratic leaders in Congress and greens saw yesterday's measures as a first step by Obama in redeeming his campaign promises on the environment, despite the economic recession. "Amidst the array of challenges facing his administration, President Obama's actions today send a clear signal to America and the world that his administration will play a leadership role on energy and global warming," said Phyllis Cuttino, director of the Pew Environment Group's global warming campaign.

California and 13 other states are looking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new cars and light trucks by 30% by 2016. Four other states are ready to follow suit. To reach that target, new cars would have to reach a standard of 36.8mpg.

The impact on the environment and the car industry would be sizeable. Together, California and the like-minded states account for nearly half the cars on America's roads.

The presidential order stops short of demanding that the EPA immediately reverse its policy. That would have put enormous pressure on America's car companies, only weeks after GM and Chrysler were reduced to seeking a bail-out from Congress, to immediately increase production of the cleaner vehicles.

Obama said he was aware of the pressures on America's car makers. "Our goal is not to further burden the struggling American auto industry," he said.

Instead, Obama asked the agency to review its refusal to grant California a waiver to regulate car emissions related to global warming. Environmentalists said they hoped the EPA would have tough new emissions controls in place by the summer, following the review process.

Obama also ordered the transportation department to compel the car industry to make more fuel-efficient cars and trucks. The order would require all new vehicles rolling off the assembly line in 2011 to achieve at least 35mpg.

The measures amount to a rolling back of the most controversial Bush policies on the environment. In 2007, Bush officials at the EPA blocked efforts by California to set higher emissions standards. The Bush administration also dragged its heels on meeting a deadline for raising fuel efficiency standards.

Both moves by Obama yesterday had been widely expected by reluctant car makers as well as environmentalists.

The political importance of an apparent partnership on the environment between Obama and the Republican governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, was also noted by environmentalists. Schwarzenegger wrote to Obama last Wednesday, his first full day in the White House, asking him to review the Bush administration's refusal to allow California and other states to set their own emissions standards.

Environmentalists also paid careful attention to his tone. The president once again put emphasis on the environmental aspects of the economic stimulus plan now before Congress.

"By making this decision today the president has sent an unmistakable signal that this is one of America's highest priorities," said Vickie Patton of the Environmental defense Fund.