No doubt, it would be different were tons of American car companies not facing bankruptcy, but still!
Politico phrases it this way: The administration official predicted huge environmental benefits from the program. “The projected oil savings of this program over the life of this program is 1.8 billion barrels of oil, [and] the program is also projected to achieve reductions of 900 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions,” the official said. “That is equivalent to taking 177 million cars off the road or shutting down 194 coal plants.”
SO, totally worth it. And then the NYT summarizes the hell that California went through to get a waiver during the Bush era:
The administration’s decision resolves a question over California’s application for a waiver from federal clean air laws to impose its own, tougher vehicle emissions standards. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia have said they plan to adopt the California program.
The new national fleet mileage rule for cars and light trucks of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016 roughly corresponds to the California requirement, which will be shelved as a result. The current national standard is slightly more than 25 miles per gallon.
The California plan, first proposed in 2002, had been stalled by industry lawsuits and the Bush administration’s refusal to grant a waiver from less stringent federal rules, although California has been given dozens of such exemptions over the last 40 years.
The program will also end a number of lawsuits over the California standards, officials said.
I'm ridiculously excited.
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