Groups want uniform fuel economy rules - BusinessWeek

Industry groups are pressing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to create consistent rules for new fuel efficiency standards being considered by Congress, a move that could conflict with aggressive requirements being pushed by California. Automakers and their allies in Congress have pushed for the energy bill to clarify the authority of two federal agencies that regulate emissions and gas-mileage standards. Environmental groups have raised concerns that a combined approach would prevent California from moving forward with its strict tailpipe emissions standards, which would require automakers to build vehicles that produce 30 percent less greenhouse gases by 2016. California can’t enforce the tailpipe rules for cars sold in the state until it gets a waiver from the EPA exempting it from national greenhouse gas pollution standards set under the federal Clean Air Act. NHTSA was given the enforcement authority of fuel economy standards when the law was created in 1975, so automakers have cautioned they may be forced to comply with two different standards. read more

[Tags]standards, , automakers, california, efficiency, emissions, fuel economy[/Tags]

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