At last the White House is taking seriously the need to improve auto fuel efficiency as well as reduce pollutants and diminish our reliance on foreign fuels. Good.
The Obama administration's Department of Transportation and Environmental Protection Agency announced new rules for the nation's fleet of passenger cars and light trucks, boosting the minimum average mileage to 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. The idea is to cut fuel consumption by as much as 40 percent while, for the first time, also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The proposed federal rule is historic in a sense, because it would address four key issues vital to our economic and environmental future:
By mandating much more fuel efficient cars within six years, the rule would save dramatic amounts of carbon fuels.
Gains from fuel efficiency will make it significantly cheaper to operate cars and light trucks.
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