Obama Cracks Down on Auto Industry

The lead article in today’s New York Times, “Obama Seeking a Steep Increase in Auto Mileage,” shows the difference a President can make in enforcing environmental standards. His administration, led by the EPA, is trying to create a new regulation requiring car makers to achieve an average of 56.6 miles per gallon by 2025. The requirement will still leave the United States behind Europe, expected to achieve 60 mpg by 2020.

The auto industry is trying to negotiate the standards downward, claiming that they will add several thousand dollars to the cost of the car. But they do admit that the average is achievable using today’s technology, though they claim it will require a 50 percent fleet level for electric and hybrid vehicles.

It is refreshing to see the President stand up for our environment in the face of corporate interests. His stand has the potential of saving consumers millions of dollars at the pump and reducing our consumption of oil by billions of barrels. He had already imposed a standard of 35.5 mpg in an initial agreement, to be achieved by 2016, when the car industries were on the verge of bankruptcy.

This effort is something that all Americans should support, for the sake of our children, to ensure we preserve the planet and remain faithful stewards over our environment. The fact that it is already achievable, by the admission of auto manufacturers themselves, removes any reason to resist a plan with so many obvious benefits.