In a sharp break from the Bush administration, President Obama this week granted states permission to regulate tailpipe emissions and said he would vigorously enforce a law requiring automakers to improve fuel efficiency. The executive orders, which Obama said were necessary for “our security, our economy, and our planet,” clear the way for California and other states that want to set greenhouse-gas emission standards tighter than federal limits.
Republican lawmakers complained that the new rules would impose heavy burdens on an industry that has been staggered by plunging sales. “The federal government should not be piling on an industry already hurting,” said Sen. George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican. Carmakers also warned that the stiffer regulations could add thousands of dollars to the cost of a new car.
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