Americans need to drive smarter cars in order to save money, break our addiction to fossil fuels and help reduce global warming pollution. This means stricter limits on tailpipe emissions and retooling plants to manufacture the fuel-efficient cars that consumers are demanding, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids. High-mileage cars use less gas, helping keep American dollars at home and in our pockets.
Earlier this week, NRDC's China program director Barbara Finamore was at China's official state guesthouse--the same spot President Nixon stayed when he opened U.S.-China relations in 1972--when U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that the United States and China...continued→
While the oil lobby continues its gas attack on climate legislation, a recent government study suggests that accelerating CAFE standards under the Waxman-Markey climate bill would actually lower our gas bills by more than 10% over the next two decades...continued→
On Wednesday, U.S. EPA and DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) held a public hearing in Detroit on recently proposed, first-ever national limits on global warming pollution from cars and light trucks and strengthened fuel economy requirements. The proposed...continued→
Today the Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to curb carbon pollution from big power plants and other big polluters under the Clean Air Act, while at the same time assuring the millions of mom and pop businesses across the country...continued→
The G-20 meeting will conclude later today here in Pittsburgh, but we can say already that for climate policy, this has not been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon. Here's my highlight reel for the week: Court rings bell on...continued→
This Wednesday, President Obama will meet with Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the White House to talk about climate change and energy issues. The word "expansion" may not appear on the official, diplomatic schedule, but I am certain it...continued→
Today the Environmental Protection Agency will give California the long-awaited green light to enforce its landmark standards to cut global warming pollution from new motor vehicles. This is a major step in implementing the clean car peace treaty unveiled by...continued→
The past week and a half have been noteworthy in the passenger car tire world. Last week, California proposed tire efficiency ratings and today the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a proposal for a...continued→
Last week, California proposed a new tire efficiency rating system based on a tire's energy consumption during driving. Under the system, efficiency information on all tires sold in the state is collected in a public database and the most efficient tires...continued→
Did you know that some car tires are more efficient than others? It's true; some tires use less energy as they roll along the road and therefore make your car, minivan, SUV or pickup consume less gas. Fuel efficient tires...continued→
It has been a good week in the Countdown to Copenhagen. We have seen a remarkable amount of climate action in the past few days, and if this pace keeps up, the United States might actually arrive at the international...continued→
What a gas! Today I was on hand for President Obama's announcement of new national standards for cars and trucks to cut their global warming pollution and raise their fuel economy. It was a picture-perfect day in the White House...continued→
Tuesday I went to the White House to hear President Obama announce his plan to issue new greenhouse gas and fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. This plan, based on California's groundbreaking emissions law, makes everybody a winner. Drivers...continued→
New polls (here, here, and here) show that Americans are eager for Washington to tackle clean energy and global warming. And next Monday, both the Executive and Legislative Branches will swing into action. On Capitol Hill, the House Energy and...continued→
When I heard that President Obama was going to visit Southern California Edison's Electric Vehicle Test Center, I pictured him behind the wheel of a plug-in vehicle with a big smile on his face. He'd step on the accelerator, feel...continued→
Today the Environmental Protection Agency takes another step towards finally giving California the green light to enforce its landmark standards to cut global warming pollution from new motor vehicles. The Bush administration had blocked California last year by denying the...continued→
Today, I and my colleague will testify at the EPA Waiver hearing where the Obama Administration EPA is going to reconsider the previous Administration's denial. There is little doubt in most observers' minds that the Obama Administration's EPA will grant...continued→
In his State of the Union address and his federal budget, President Obama championed incentives for cleaner vehicles, expanded public transit, and more American jobs. A couple of weeks ago, I saw one of the places where all three of...continued→
A few days ago, on the eve of the auto companies' submittal of their latest restructuring plans, I wrote about what to look for in terms of commitments to meet higher standards for global warming emissions and fuel economy. Now...continued→
General Motors and Chrysler are expected to submit "restructuring plans" later today under the terms of the multi-billion dollar loans from the outgoing Bush administration under the "troubled asset relief program" (TARP). The loans were provided to enable the companies...continued→
Just a short time ago, the nation's biggest automakers - including General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler - had Washington tied up in knots and California bent around the axle. But last week President Obama put the nation on a new...continued→
I blogged on January 24, 2008 on the National Automobile Dealers Association's (NADA) new report complaining about complying with the California Clean Cars Program. The study makes the following claim: "On a national level, the new federal CAFE standards will...continued→
President Obama just announced that he wants the Environmental Protection Agency to move quickly to review the Bush administration's denial of the right of California and at least 13 other states to set global warming pollution standards for new cars....continued→
According to reports in the New York Times and Washington Post, President Obama is expected to announce tomorrow (1/26/08) that he will instruct federal agencies to act quickly to grant California a waiver to regulate automobile tailpipe emissions and also to raise fuel...continued→
Less than a week into office President Obama is acting to show the country and the world that the U.S. is back as a leader in the fight to protect the climate by taking on global warming pollution. The Washington Post...continued→
This year, every monthly auto sales report has brought gloomy news for the Detroit Big 3. Unfortunately for the past two decades, the Detroit Big 3 CEOs have been living in a virtual “state of denial” regarding oil prices and...continued→
Car shopping? Coming very soon in California is a handy new window sticker that makes it easy to choose the cleanest vehicles. It’s terrific in its simplicity; each car, SUV, minivan or pickup will get a 1-10 score on the...continued→
On Leap Day, EPA announced a giant leap of logic. EPA finally released its explanation for denying California permission to implement its landmark Clean Cars program to cut global warming pollution from tailpipes. EPA’s claim that California does not meet...continued→
So last night I caught the classic film, “A Man for All Seasons,” about Sir Thomas More’s principled refusal to take orders from King Henry VIII. There was a character in there who reminded me of EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson...continued→
Want a fun read? Check out EPA’s January 18 letter to Senator Barbara Boxer, Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, explaining why Administrator Stephen Johnson doesn’t want the public to see documents showing why his professional and legal...continued→
John Adams, our second president, famously said: "Facts are stubborn things." In a 1988 slip of the tongue, Ronald Reagan said: "Facts are stupid things." For the Bush administration, the slip of the tongue has been going on for seven...continued→
Seven years ago, incoming President Bush brashly withdrew America from the international effort to stop global warming. Then national security advisor Condaleeza Rice told European diplomats that the Kyoto treaty was dead. That only galvanized the rest of the world...continued→
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, together with Senators Diane Feinstein and Daniel Inouye and other leading Senators, have pulled off agreement on the first significant increase in fuel economy standards since 1985.Under the new fuel economy legislation hammered out on Friday, new...continued→
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is not going to take it any more. He and Attorney-General Jerry Brown are suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today, because the federal government is standing in the way of state efforts – led by California...continued→
Anybody catch the new Subaru ad? You know, the one with the rugged environmentalist standing in front of a Subaru plant and talking about how green it is? You can find Subaru's summary of its green manufacturing process here. Now...continued→
How to generate millions of jobs, break our dependence on oil and reduce the pollution that causes global warming.
