Q'S AND A'S ON CAFE
- 1. How does this agreement affect CAFE?
- The Administration remains committed to pursuing increases in
the fuel economy of the conventional vehicle fleet during the
period in which we're working with the industry to design and
bring to market the super-efficient car of the future. That
commitment is unaffected by this agreement. Indeed, this
agreement is a first step in that area, although certainly not
the only step. One of the explicit goals of this agreement is
the pursuit of technologies, such as aerodynamics and
lightweight materials, that will improve the efficiency of
conventional vehicles. The industry has agreed to apply these
technologies, as available, to improved efficiency in the
marketplace. Of course, if our long-term goal is reached, CAFE
standards as we now think of them will be irrelevant, since we
will have vehicles that are 300% more efficient than current
vehicles.
- 2. What are the Administration's specific plans on CAFE? How
do you intend to fulfill your commitment to near-term efficiency
improvements?
- Before we take any action, we want to make certain that we do
it in the most efficient and cost-effective way. Any regulatory
action that we take immediately would be strictly limited by the
structure of the current CAFE program, and while that may be the
best way to do it, we want to first consider all possibilities.
We have begun our work on near-term improvements today, by
joining with the industry to bring to market technologies that
can achieve these improvements. We will begin further action in
this area as soon as we have completed review of the options.
- 3. What about the campaign promise of 40 mpg by 2000 and 45
mpg by 2015 (in "Putting People First")? Is that still the
Administration's goal?
- Everyone agrees that lead time is critical in our ability to
achieve fuel efficiency improvements, and that the greatest
potential for efficiency improvements is in the post-2000
period. If we meet our long-term research challenge, a car
fleet efficiency of 45 mpg could look insignificant by 2015. We
are reviewing what can be accomplished in the pre-2000 period,
and we hope, given our more open and cooperative relationship
with the industry that is evidenced by our agreement here today,
we will do that with the candid assistance of the industry and
other interested parties. [If 40 mpg looks reasonable given the
time remaining, we will pursue it. If not, we will pursue the
most reasonable goal, in the most effective and cost-efficient
way.]
- 4. What about the climate change action plan? Will it address
these issues, and how will it do so?
- The climate change action plan has not been finalized, but we
expect to be able to finalize it [within a matter of weeks].
Until it is final, I can't give you any definite information
about its contents. I can say that the group working on the
plan obviously recognizes the significance of the transportation
sector in carbon dioxide production, particularly in the
post-2000 period.
Note to those reviewing this draft: OEP and OVP-Domestic
Policy believe that more detailed discussion of the draft action
plan will shift the focus from the clean car agreement to a
detailed debate over what needs to be studied, what specific
increases should be sought, etc. For that reason, it's our
recommendation that we not discuss the specifics of the action
plan in the context of the clean car announcement.