US President Barack Obama was expected to issue new regulations yesterday that would allow several US states to set tougher car emissions and fuel efficiency standards, US media and congressional officials said.
The dramatic federal action granting California and 13 other states the right to regulate tailpipe emissions is a sharp departure from former US president George W. Bush's environmental policy, and has been sharply opposed by auto companies.
The New York Times reported that Obama is to issue a directive to the US Environmental Protection Agency to immediately begin work on granting the so-called California waiver, which allows the state — long in the vanguard on environmental matters — to set its own standards for automobile emissions.
In his White House announcement, Obama was expected to issue a directive requiring federal agencies to immediately begin work on making all government buildings more energy efficient.
The new US administration hopes to achieve energy savings of up to US$2 billion per year, as well as a reduction of emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases blamed for global warming.
The presidential orders will require vehicle manufacturers to begin producing and selling cars and trucks that get higher mileage than the national standard, and on a faster phase-in schedule, the media reports said.
Obama was also expected to announce that he is moving forward with nationwide regulations requiring improved fuel efficiency standards.
“If we don't put a price on carbon, we'll never get these clean energy sources online,” said Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer of California, the chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Obama will also direct the Department of Transportation to immediately begin drafting automobile fuel-economy regulations to comply with a law enacted in December 2007.
Bush delayed implementing the law and left office saying there was not sufficient time to write the rules.
The anticipated greenhouse gas restrictions will be part of a larger effort by the Obama administration to stimulate renewable energy supply. Obama's stimulus plan calls for investing heavily in wind and solar power as well as biofuels.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from