Five Reponses To President Obama’s Proposal For Toughened Fuel Efficiency Standards
On Wednesday, the White House formally issued a proposal to nearly double automotive fuel efficiency standards by 2025. The proposal to boost the standards to 54.5 miles per gallon – a jump from the 27.3 mpg required today – comes on the heels of an agreement President Obama reached this summer with automakers.
Here’s a glance at five responses to the news:
Dan Becker, Safe Climate Campaign
“It is not every decade that a president does something to simultaneously help the environment, consumers and the auto industry. President Obama has done just that. These standards are the biggest single step any nation has taken to fight global warming. They will slash our oil addiction.”
John Dingell, U.S. Representative from Michigan’s 15th Congressional District
“The national program allows American manufacturers to continue building the cars consumers want to buy. It gives industry the certainty they need to invest in the future and promotes American manufacturing of advanced technology vehicles. This program is critically important so our manufacturers do not have to meet a patchwork of different standards.”
Mitch Bainwol, CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
“The proposed regulations present aggressive targets, and the administration must consider that technology breakthroughs will be required and consumers will need to buy our most energy-efficient technologies in very large numbers to meet the goals.”
Jonathan Tobias, owner of Michigan Green Cabs in Ann Arbor, Mich.
“Higher fuel standards would allow me to expand my business immediately, and they would boost my employees’ spending power as consumers. In my industry, employees pay for the fuel that powers the vehicles I supply. If I could give drivers more fuel-efficient cars, they’d be lining up to work for me.”
Dennis McGinn, retired Vice Admiral, member of the CNA Military Advistory Board
“Gas-guzzling is not an American value. Cutting our oil use, increasing efficiency and diversifying our energy resources will protect our economy and our ability to move around the country freely. Programs like the new 54.5 mpg federal fuel economy standard … put us on the right path.”