President Obama worked to reverse the EPA’s stance on California’s tougher auto emission laws and sent a message to automakers that more stringent emission and fuel economy standards would be established. The EPA was directed to review California’s standards, an action that the Bush administration had blocked. Stricter fuel-efficiency requirments will be coming for 2011 model year vehicles in an effort to, “help America’s automakers prepare for the future.
“”It falls on us to choose whether to risk the peril that comes with our current course or to seize the promise of energy independence,” Obama said. “And for the sake of our security, our economy and our planet, we must have the courage and the commitment to change.”
In other news today, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appointed Todd Stern as a special envoy for climate change. Stern had written an open letter to the president urging the creation of the E-8, an international group that would focus on combating global warming. Stern is now in the position as chief climate negotiator in talks at the United Nations climate conferences.
