Obama orders first fuel efficiency standards for heavy trucks
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President Obama on Friday ordered his administration to prepare the first fuel efficiency standards for big rigs and heavy trucks and to extend standards for cars and light trucks beyond 2016.At a White House Rose Garden ceremony, Obama said his administration had pushed for higher fuel efficiency in the past and that more was needed to reduce U.S. dependence on oil and to reduce greenhouse gases and pollutants.
Under the memorandum the president signed Friday, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation were ordered to develop the first plan to cover fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks for model years 2014 to 2018. Environmentalists have sought such regulation.
The agencies will also extend standards for cars and light-duty trucks to model year 2017 and beyond. The directive supports electric vehicles and directs EPA to reduce non-greenhouse-gas pollutants from motor vehicles.
Last month, the administration announced new standards for cars and light trucks for the 2012 to 2016 model years that aimed at reaching an average of 35.5 miles per gallon, about 10 miles per gallon more than current levels.
No new numbers for trucks were announced.
-- Michael Muskal
