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by Racquel
Palmese
Saying that "California
has shown
bold and bipartisan leadership through its effort to forge 21st-century
standards, and over a dozen states have followed its lead,"
President Barack Obama directed the Environmental Protection Agency to
review the denial of California's request to set tailpipe emission
standards more stringent than current federal
guidelines and to "determine the best way forward."
In 2007, the EPA, under instructions from the Bush administration, denied
the state's request. Thirteen other states have expressed a desire to
follow California's lead. If implemented, California standards would force
automakers to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2016.
In
a speech in the East Room, the President said: "The days of Washington
dragging its heels are over. My administration will not deny facts; we
will be guided by them. We cannot afford to pass the buck or push the
burden onto the states."
Obama said his first step would be getting the $825 billion stimulus
package in place. "First we must take bold action to create a new American
energy economy that creates millions of jobs for our people," he said.
"The American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan before Congress places a down
payment on this economy. It will put 460,000 Americans to work with clean
energy investments and double the capacity to generate alternative energy
over the next three years. It will lay down 3,000 miles of transmission
lines to deliver this energy to every corner of our country. It will save
taxpayers $2 billion a year by making 75 percent of federal buildings more
efficient. And it'll save working families hundreds of dollars on their
energy bills by weatherizing 2 million homes."
Reviewing the California waver is part of the second step, saying:
"Increasing fuel efficiency in our cars and trucks is one of the most
important steps that we can take to break our cycle of dependence on
foreign oil. It will also help spark the innovation needed to ensure that
our auto industry keeps pace with competitors around the world."
"We
will not be put off from action because action is hard," the President
said in closing. "Now is the time to make the tough
choices. Now is the time to meet the challenge at this crossroad of
history by choosing a future that is safer for our country, prosperous for
our planet, and sustainable."
For the full text of the speech,
click here.
For video of the speech, click
here.
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