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| Obama moves to curb car emissions | Obama moves to curb car emissions |
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| US President Barack Obama has announced tough targets for new fuel-efficient vehicles in order to cut pollution and lower dependence on oil imports. | US President Barack Obama has announced tough targets for new fuel-efficient vehicles in order to cut pollution and lower dependence on oil imports. |
| Describing the move as "historic", Mr Obama said the country's first-ever national standards would reduce vehicle emissions by about a third by 2016. | Describing the move as "historic", Mr Obama said the country's first-ever national standards would reduce vehicle emissions by about a third by 2016. |
| The plan aims to replace overlapping rules on emissions and efficiency set by federal agencies and states. | The plan aims to replace overlapping rules on emissions and efficiency set by federal agencies and states. |
| US carmakers and environmental groups have expressed support for the move. | US carmakers and environmental groups have expressed support for the move. |
| See how new fuel effiency targets compare | See how new fuel effiency targets compare |
| Under the proposed standards, manufacturers must reach an average of 39 miles per gallon for passenger cars by 2016, and 30 miles per gallon for light lorries. | Under the proposed standards, manufacturers must reach an average of 39 miles per gallon for passenger cars by 2016, and 30 miles per gallon for light lorries. |
| Announcing the plan at the White House, Mr Obama said the status quo was "no longer acceptable" and led to dependence on oil exporting countries and climate change. | Announcing the plan at the White House, Mr Obama said the status quo was "no longer acceptable" and led to dependence on oil exporting countries and climate change. |
| EMISSION CUTS PLAN A 30% reduction by 2016The cuts are equal to taking 177m cars off the roadPrice of cars may rise by $1,300 | |
| The new standards are expected to raise the price of new vehicles by about $1,300 (£839) per vehicle by 2016. | The new standards are expected to raise the price of new vehicles by about $1,300 (£839) per vehicle by 2016. |
| But the president said this would be offset by lower fuel cost within three years. | But the president said this would be offset by lower fuel cost within three years. |
| The US is the biggest car market with more than 250 million cars and light lorries on the road. | The US is the biggest car market with more than 250 million cars and light lorries on the road. |
| The proposed nationwide standard for exhaust emissions is expected to cut the amount of carbon dioxide produced by new passenger vehicles by 34%. | The proposed nationwide standard for exhaust emissions is expected to cut the amount of carbon dioxide produced by new passenger vehicles by 34%. |
| Savings | Savings |
| The Safe Climate Campaign, an environmental group, welcomed the plan saying it was "major signal" that the US was serious about curbing greenhouse gas emissions. | The Safe Climate Campaign, an environmental group, welcomed the plan saying it was "major signal" that the US was serious about curbing greenhouse gas emissions. |
| Carmakers are also hailing a single nationwide standard, after years of court battles to stop California and other states setting their own tough pollution controls. | Carmakers are also hailing a single nationwide standard, after years of court battles to stop California and other states setting their own tough pollution controls. |
| California had been pushing for stricter emissions standards | California had been pushing for stricter emissions standards |
| "GM and the auto industry benefit by having more consistency and certainty to guide our product plans," GM Chief Executive Fritz Henderson said in a statement. | "GM and the auto industry benefit by having more consistency and certainty to guide our product plans," GM Chief Executive Fritz Henderson said in a statement. |
| Mr Obama predicted that the lawsuits would be dropped as a result of the proposed regulation. | Mr Obama predicted that the lawsuits would be dropped as a result of the proposed regulation. |
| The president said: "As a result of this agreement we will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the vehicles sold in the next five years." | The president said: "As a result of this agreement we will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the vehicles sold in the next five years." |
| He said this amounted to removing 177 million cars from the roads by 2016. | He said this amounted to removing 177 million cars from the roads by 2016. |
| In that period, the savings in oil will amount to last year's combined US imports from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Libya and Nigeria, Mr Obama added. | In that period, the savings in oil will amount to last year's combined US imports from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Libya and Nigeria, Mr Obama added. |
| BBC environment correspondent Richard Black says the plan should act as an incentive for US carmakers to increase fuel efficiency towards European and Asian levels. | BBC environment correspondent Richard Black says the plan should act as an incentive for US carmakers to increase fuel efficiency towards European and Asian levels. |
| The proposed regulation needs the approval of the Environmental Protection Agency and the transportation department. | The proposed regulation needs the approval of the Environmental Protection Agency and the transportation department. |
| Back to top | Back to top |
| Are you a US motorist? What do you think of President Obama's plans? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you a US motorist? What do you think of President Obama's plans? Send us your comments using the form below. |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |