The change to the CAFE regulations from the Obama administration seem to be much less stringent than I originally thought. The 35.5 MPG requirement is filled with as many loopholes as our street are with potholes.
The largest loophole is that instead of a strict, clear cut rule, the automakers will be able to base the fuel mileage in 2016 on estimates of what the Green House Gas emissions from that year will be. What this will allow the automakers to do is to reduce the Green House Gases by improving the Air Conditioners in their vehicles, which will effectively reduce their estimated fuel mileage that is being based on Green House Gas emissions. Huh?
Perhaps even more dumbfounding than the convoluted and idiotic fuel mileage mess is the provisions that will allow automakers to reduce their CAFE requirements based on the “footprint” (square footage) of the vehicles that they sell. The larger the vehicle, the less stringent the CAFE requirement. This also means that the CAFE standard for each company will be different based on the size of the vehicles they sell. How is this different than what we have now? How is this “Change We Can Believe In”?
President Obama, we do not need more of the same. The leadership of the last few administrations has left this country in dire straits regarding foreign oil dependence and emissions standards. Please, simply set strict rules without loopholes and allowances. Allow all car companies to compete on a level playing field and let them know what is required of them. Why is this so difficult to do in Washington D.C.?
