New Fuel Economy Rules: Didn't We Do That Already?

New Fuel Economy Rules: Didn't We Do That Already?

By Michelle Krebs September 16, 2009

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency Tuesday announced they are jointly proposing new nationwide standards for both fuel economy and carbon-dioxide emissions targeted for a timeframe between 2012 and 2016.

The interagency effort set a fleet-average target of 35 miles per gallon for light vehicles, increasing five percent each year to achieve the 35-mpg total by 2016. They also propose a "greenhouse gas" (carbon-dioxide) limit of 250 grams per mile by 2016.

Average folks, at least those paying attention at all, are likely to ask, "Didn't that happen already?"

Congress did pass a new federal fuel-economy standard in 2007 that was set to mandate fleet-average fuel efficiency of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2020. But that measure did little to end bickering about emissions limits - primarily CO2 - between California and the growing cadre of states that follow its air-quality regulations and the federal government.

Carbon-dioxide emissions are directly related to fuel consumption and California insisted it wanted to enforce its own regulations regarding CO2 - limits that, as proposed, resulted in a de facto fuel-economy standard that exceeded the federal rules Congress signed into law in 2007.

The EPA issued a waiver in July for California to regulate CO2 emissions, in effect allowing it and the 13 states that follow its emissions regulations to set a separate - and stricter - fuel-economy standard.

Automakers, which long have railed against the possibility of forced compliance with what would amount to two different fuel-economy standards, through their collective trade groups effectively supported the DOT and EPA proposal.

"Due to the length and complexity of the materials released today, we won't be able to comment immediately on their content, but we certainly appreciate the efforts of this Administration, especially the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), as well as other participants, in laying out a coordinated path toward a cleaner, more fuel efficient and less energy-dependent future," said Michael J. Stanton, president and CEO of the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, which represents 13 import automakers.

CEO Dave McCurdy, CEO for the Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers (AAM), was less committal, saying, "The proposal provides manufacturers with a roadmap for meeting significant increases for model years 2012 to 2016." The AAM includes the Detroit automakers and eight others, including Toyota Motor Corp.

The newly proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and CO2 regulations seemingly could end what might amount to a relentless legal battle about federal and state jurisdiction regarding regulation of vehicle emissions.

Meanwhile, there will be arguments about the technical feasibility - and cost - to achieve the proposed standards. But a news release from the two agencies called the proposed new CAFE and CO2 regulations "within the auto industry's reach."

NHTSA, which would administer the proposed program, and the EPA are engaging a 60-day comment period.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there was no official comment from California regulatory sources. - Bill Visnic

 

 

Michelle Krebs:  is Editor-in-Chief of AutoObserver.com. Follow @AutoObserver on Twitter.