Two groups praise Obama's fuel changes

WASHINGTON, May 19 (UPI) -- Two organizations concerned with environmental issues hailed the tougher emissions and fuel efficiency standards U.S. President Barack Obama revealed Tuesday.

The Alliance to Save Energy called the policy "an historic step forward and a win-win-win for consumers, the environment and U.S. energy security."

Under the new corporate average fuel economy standards Obama announced, the fleet standard will be 35.5 miles per gallon of gas for model year 2016.

"The new CAFE standards and emissions policies continue and speed up the forward drive to a green energy future that has been promised by this administration," alliance President Kateri Callahan said in a news release.

Analysis from the Union of Concerned Scientists indicated implementing the standard outlined in Obama's plan would, among other things, cut heat-trapping emissions by 230 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2020, equivalent to taking 34 million of today's cars and light trucks off the road that year.

"When candidate Obama went to Detroit, he told the automakers what they needed to hear -- they had been making bad choices, and as president, he would steer a new course and revitalize the industry by bringing more fuel efficient vehicles to market," Michelle Robinson, director of UCS's Clean Vehicles Program, said in a news release. "Now President Obama is delivering on his promise to strengthen the auto industry, while reducing vehicle pollution and our dependence on oil."