Change we can believe in, bitches.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/26/us/po ... calif.html

WASHINGTON — President Obama will direct federal regulators on Monday to move swiftly on an application by California and 13 other states to set strict automobile emission and fuel efficiency standards, two administration officials said Sunday.

The directive makes good on an Obama campaign pledge and signifies a sharp reversal of Bush administration policy. Granting California and the other states the right to regulate tailpipe emissions would be one of the most emphatic actions Mr. Obama could take to quickly put his stamp on environmental policy.

Mr. Obama’s presidential memorandum will order the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider the Bush administration’s past rejection of the California application. While it stops short of flatly ordering the Bush decision reversed, the agency’s regulators are now widely expected to do so after completing a formal review process.

You're title is a bit misleading.

All Obama did is ask the EPA to reconsider the previous rejection, he hasn't changed any policy. Though, truth be told, I do think it will end up being reversed.

I'm not sure how I feel about it though, but that's because I feel if this is something 1 state should be doing, then they all should. I much prefer Obama's decision to require 35 mpg fleets from all auto companies by 2020, something that would literally cut 2 million + barrels of oil a day.

I think the feds should definitely set minimum standards that actually mean something. But if states want to pass stricter standards, then they should be able to do that as well. Different states have different pollution challenges. Federal standards might be adequate in Georgia but not California, for example.

I think the effective result, however, is probably that auto makers simply meet the highest standard in the country (most likely California) and sell cars with those emissions everywhere.



That will probably happen as well.

another thing i'm happy to see obama did. if a state wants to have stricter standards then so be it.

I'm mixed on it. I think California, and the other states, have made a poor decision which will essentially dictate policy to automakers due to California's mass. However, assuming the EPA's guidelines do change, I can't find fault with Obama's decision. I prefer federalism and the state's as laboratories theory rather than national dictates. Can't win them all.