Obama Takes Another Step Toward Reducing Actions Blamed For
Global Warming
Reuters
Posted: 02/18/2014 8:18 am EST Updated: 02/18/2014 8:59 am
EST / http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/18/obama-fuel-standards_n_4807138.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000013
By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON, Feb 18 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will
direct federal agencies on Tuesday to develop higher standards for medium-sized
and heavy trucks over the next two years, another step in his efforts to reduce
oil consumption and carbon emissions blamed for global warming.
Obama will travel to Upper Marlboro, Maryland, to make his
announcement at a distribution center for Safeway grocery stores.
The Obama administration requires automakers to nearly
double the average fuel economy of new cars and light trucks to 54.5 miles per gallon by
2025 under rules that took effect in 2012.
Obama will now direct the Environmental Protection Agency
and Transportation Department to develop new rules for medium- and heavy-duty
vehicle fuel efficiency by March 2016.
The new rules will build on standards for medium- and
heavy-duty vehicles that the Obama administration imposed on model years
2014-18 and will reach well into the next decade, according to details of the
new plan released by the White House ahead of the announcement.
Development of new truck fuel standards is another sign of
Obama's increasing efforts to address climate change and convince Americans of
the urgent need to take action.
By ordering federal agencies to develop new standards, Obama
is able to act on his own and sidestep Congress, which remains divided about
what to do about a warming planet.
Obama said in California's drought zone on Friday that a
warming planet is intensifying the severity of droughts and other weather
events.
"Unless and until we do more to combat carbon pollution
that causes climate change, this trend is going to get worse," he said.
Obama will also renew his appeal for Congress to end $4
billion a year in subsidies to the oil and gas industry and urge lawmakers to
establish a $2 billion "energy security trust" to support development
of advanced vehicles that run on electricity, homegrown biofuels, hydrogen, and
domestically produced natural gas.
The $2 billion in spending would be drawn from revenues
generated by federal oil and gas development. (Editing by Paul Tait)
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