<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for The scoop on Obama’s new fuel-economy rules]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by mathewaccord http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-19-obama-new-fuel-economy-rules/ Tue, 19 May 2009 21:54:00 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-19-obama-new-fuel-economy-rules/1 i think this plan is a big step in the right direction. Well done Obama

]]> i think this plan is a big step in the right direction. Well done Obama

]]> Comment #2 by Tyler Durden http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-19-obama-new-fuel-economy-rules/ Wed, 20 May 2009 00:16:24 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-19-obama-new-fuel-economy-rules/2 This is a major improvement.  Now let's look at what other countries are doing:  Current European and Japanese standards are approximately 43.3 and 42.6 mpg, respectively; China’s standard is 35.8 mpg this year.


So, this has to just be a start, not the end of the process.  If these standards are not improved upon soon, U.S. cars will get worse gas mileage in 2016 than Chinese cars get today.  There's no excuse for this!  Americans must be weaned off their oversized pigmobiles, even if it's done with them kicking and screaming.


]]> This is a major improvement.  Now let's look at what other countries are doing:  Current European and Japanese standards are approximately 43.3 and 42.6 mpg, respectively; China’s standard is 35.8 mpg this year.


So, this has to just be a start, not the end of the process.  If these standards are not improved upon soon, U.S. cars will get worse gas mileage in 2016 than Chinese cars get today.  There's no excuse for this!  Americans must be weaned off their oversized pigmobiles, even if it's done with them kicking and screaming.


]]> Comment #3 by Delay And Deny http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-19-obama-new-fuel-economy-rules/ Wed, 20 May 2009 05:03:47 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-19-obama-new-fuel-economy-rules/3 Pocahontas has the right idea:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/qorianka-kilcher-pocahontas-honda-fcx-clarity-fuel-cell-hydrogen-car-photos.php

Green actress Q'orianka Kilcher, know for her role of Pocahontas, has been driving a first generation Honda FCX [hydrogen] fuel cell car since she was 17 (see photo below). But that was 2 years ago, and her lease was up, so she decided to renew with the new generation of Honda FCX Clarity.

]]> Pocahontas has the right idea:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/qorianka-kilcher-pocahontas-honda-fcx-clarity-fuel-cell-hydrogen-car-photos.php

Green actress Q'orianka Kilcher, know for her role of Pocahontas, has been driving a first generation Honda FCX [hydrogen] fuel cell car since she was 17 (see photo below). But that was 2 years ago, and her lease was up, so she decided to renew with the new generation of Honda FCX Clarity.

]]> Comment #4 by davefordemocracy http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-19-obama-new-fuel-economy-rules/ Wed, 20 May 2009 06:45:52 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-19-obama-new-fuel-economy-rules/4 All we hear about is mileage standards, but where are we talking about emissions?

The California rule was about emissions, not mileage, and though it's true that the upshot is the same, the implementation is different. Every two years, Californians go to private stations to get smog tests. Will this be set up nationwide? Or will each automaker's fleet be spot checked before they hit the showrooms? There are a lot of ins and outs here, a lot of what-have-yous. Are mileage and emissions to be self-reported by the car companies?

Why did the administration decide to regulate both? Who benefits from one or the other?

]]> All we hear about is mileage standards, but where are we talking about emissions?

The California rule was about emissions, not mileage, and though it's true that the upshot is the same, the implementation is different. Every two years, Californians go to private stations to get smog tests. Will this be set up nationwide? Or will each automaker's fleet be spot checked before they hit the showrooms? There are a lot of ins and outs here, a lot of what-have-yous. Are mileage and emissions to be self-reported by the car companies?

Why did the administration decide to regulate both? Who benefits from one or the other?

]]> Comment #5 by sialia http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-19-obama-new-fuel-economy-rules/ Wed, 20 May 2009 12:37:07 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-19-obama-new-fuel-economy-rules/5 Obamamobiles! http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124277581459836917.html 

]]> Obamamobiles! http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124277581459836917.html 

]]> Comment #6 by Tyler Durden http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-19-obama-new-fuel-economy-rules/ Wed, 20 May 2009 19:39:24 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-19-obama-new-fuel-economy-rules/6 California's attempted rule -- that Bush disallowed but Obama has agreed to consider -- was aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  The only way to do that is to increase fuel mileage, because all fuels burned, including biofuels, emit greenhouse gases and there is no known way to reduce those emissions without increasing fuel mileage.  Reduction of the types of emissions tested for in California smog tests, such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, was not the goal of the proposed CA regulations to which you refer.

]]> California's attempted rule -- that Bush disallowed but Obama has agreed to consider -- was aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  The only way to do that is to increase fuel mileage, because all fuels burned, including biofuels, emit greenhouse gases and there is no known way to reduce those emissions without increasing fuel mileage.  Reduction of the types of emissions tested for in California smog tests, such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, was not the goal of the proposed CA regulations to which you refer.

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