Markey Statement on Administration Notice of Intent to Further Increase Fuel Economy Requirements

October 1, 2010 - Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass), chair of twin energy and climate panels in the House, today commended the Obama Administration on its issuance of a notice of intent to develop new regulations to reduce dangerous global warming pollution from the oil used by cars and light trucks.

"I commend the Obama Administration on its projects to further reduce our dependence on oil", said Representative Markey. "As we have learned in the past 6 months, it is not just a dependence on foreign oil that poses risk. These new requirements will be developed as a new generation of electric and other advanced technology vehicles are introduced to the American market, and I urge the Obama Administration to set aggressive requirements that use realistic projections of the costs of oil and the availability of these new technologies."

Representative Markey is co-author of the fuel economy requirements that passed Congress in 2007 that were subsequently accelerated by the Obama Administration in order to reduce the need for two million barrels of oil per day by 2030. These regulations, which ushered in the 1st meaningful increase in fuel economy requirements in several decades, were supported by both automakers and the environmental community. In April, Representative Markey urged the President to embark on the next set of vehicle requirements in order to build on the successful partnership between the E.P.A., the Department of Transportation, the State of California, and other non-governmental stakeholders. Today's announcement represents the 1st step in that process.