Here’s your weekly quick look at a few developing stories in the political arena:
- President Obama on Tuesday spoke about his administration’s effort to cut emissions and reduce oil use through better fuel economy. Speaking at the Safeway distribution center in Maryland, President Obama told environmental and transportation agencies to get to work on the next round of gas mileage requirements for big trucks. Obama said, “For the first time in nearly 20 years, America produces more oil here at home than we buy from other countries. Our levels of dangerous carbon pollution, that contributes to climate change, have actually gone down even as our production has gone up.” The President’s plan builds on a regulation that set first-ever fuel standards for medium and heavy-duty trucks for model years. It is predicted to save some 530 million barrels of oil and cut emissions by roughly 270 million metric tons. Now the Transportation Department and the Environmental Protection Agency must develop the next phase of targets for those vehicles for model years.