Auto_NN1 Executives_NN2 Back_RP Obama_NP1 's_GE Emissions_NN2 Plan_VV0 By_II 2016_MC the_AT American_JJ car_NN1 fleet_NN1 must_VM be_VBI nearly_RR 40_MC percent_NNU more_DAR fuel_NN1 efficient_JJ than_CSN it_PPH1 is_VBZ today_RT Back_RP in_II 1975_MC ,_, the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 was_VBDZ reeling_VVG from_II the_AT aftershocks_NN2 of_IO the_AT Arab_JJ oil_NN1 embargo_NN1 ,_, gas_NN1 prices_NN2 had_VHD skyrocketed_VVN ,_, and_CC Congress_NN1 ,_, for_IF the_AT first_MD time_NNT1 in_II its_APPGE history_NN1 ,_, had_VHD ordered_VVN automakers_NN2 to_TO start_VVI producing_VVG more_RGR fuel-efficient_JJ cars_NN2 ._. 
At_II the_AT time_NNT1 ,_, the_AT average_JJ vehicle_NN1 on_II the_AT road_NN1 was_VBDZ getting_VVG 13_MC miles_NNU2 per_II gallon_NNU1 ;_; by_II 1987_MC ,_, thanks_NN2 partly_RR to_II Congress_NN1 's_GE rules_NN2 ,_, fuel_NN1 efficiency_NN1 had_VHD jumped_VVN up_RG21 to_RG22 22_MC mpg_NNU ._. 
And_CC yet_RR ,_, as_CSA President_NNB Obama_NP1 noted_VVD last_MD week_NNT1 when_RRQ he_PPHS1 unveiled_VVD aggressive_JJ new_JJ standards_NN2 for_IF fuel_NN1 economy_NN1 and_CC vehicle_NN1 emissions_NN2 ,_, "_" all_DB too_RG little_DA1 has_VHZ been_VBN done_VDN "_" since_CS that_DD1 time_NNT1 ._. 
Today_RT ,_, the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 spends_VVZ hundreds_NNO2 of_IO billions_NNO2 of_IO dollars_NNU2 a_AT1 year_NNT1 on_II oil_NN1 imports_NN2 ,_, and_CC the_AT average_JJ vehicle_NN1 ,_, according_II21 to_II22 the_AT EPA_NP1 ,_, gets_VVZ only_RR about_RG 21_MC mpg_NNU ,_, slightly_RR less_DAR than_CSN in_II 1987_MC ._. 
Calling_VVG that_DD1 unacceptable_JJ ,_, Obama_NP1 proposed_VVD what_DDQ is_VBZ essentially_RR a_AT1 single_JJ national_JJ rule_NN1 requiring_VVG both_RR a_AT1 rapid_JJ increase_NN1 in_II the_AT fuel_NN1 efficiency_NN1 of_IO cars_NN2 sold_VVN in_II the_AT country_NN1 and_CC a_AT1 dramatic_JJ decrease_NN1 in_II the_AT greenhouse_NN1 gases_NN2 they_PPHS2 emit_VV0 ._. 
By_II 2016_MC ,_, the_AT proposed_JJ rule_NN1 says_VVZ ,_, the_AT entire_JJ American_JJ car_NN1 and_CC light_JJ truck_NN1 fleet_NN1 must_VM be_VBI nearly_RR 40_MC percent_NNU more_DAR fuel_NN1 efficient_JJ than_CSN it_PPH1 is_VBZ today_RT ._. 
That_DD1 means_VVZ standards_NN2 for_IF cars_NN2 and_CC light-duty_JJ trucks_NN2 will_VM have_VHI to_TO jump_VVI from_II the_AT current_JJ laboratory_NN1 average_NN1 of_IO 25_MC mpg_NNU to_II 35.5_MC mpg_NNU ._. 
(_( When_CS cars_NN2 are_VBR driven_VVN on_II the_AT road_NN1 ,_, the_AT actual_JJ miles_NNU2 per_II gallon_NNU1 drop_NN1 by_II about_RG 25_MC percent_NNU ._. )_) 
Many_DA2 top_JJ auto_NN1 executives_NN2 were_VBDR on_II hand_NN1 for_IF the_AT event_NN1 ,_, so_CS the_AT new_JJ proposal_NN1 has_VHZ the_AT industry_NN1 's_GE formal_JJ backing_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB it_PPH1 did_VDD n't_XX come_VVI easily_RR or_CC quickly_RR ._. 
The_AT agreement_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ still_RR has_VHZ to_TO go_VVI through_II the_AT official_JJ rule-making_JJ process_NN1 ,_, is_VBZ really_RR the_AT product_NN1 of_IO months_NNT2 of_IO negotiations_NN2 among_II White_NP1 House_NN1 staff_NN ,_, automakers_NN2 ,_, state_VV0 officials_NN2 ,_, environmentalists_NN2 ,_, and_CC other_JJ groups_NN2 ,_, largely_RR orchestrated_VVN by_II the_AT administration_NN1 's_GE climate_NN1 czar_NN1 ,_, Carol_NP1 Browner_JJR ._. 
And_CC it_PPH1 reflects_VVZ not_XX just_RR the_AT goals_NN2 on_II energy_NN1 policy_NN1 but_CCB also_RR a_AT1 number_NN1 of_IO complicated_JJ subplots_NN2 that_CST have_VH0 demanded_VVN the_AT administration_NN1 's_GE attention_NN1 :_: the_AT decline_NN1 of_IO Detroit_NP1 's_GE auto_NN1 industry_NN1 ,_, the_AT ongoing_JJ need_NN1 for_IF bailouts_NN2 ,_, and_CC ,_, of_IO particular_JJ importance_NN1 ,_, the_AT government_NN1 's_GE legal_JJ obligations_NN2 to_TO respond_VVI to_II a_AT1 long-simmering_JJ request_NN1 by_II California_NP1 to_TO impose_VVI stricter_JJR emissions_NN2 limits_VVZ on_II vehicles_NN2 ._. 
Only_RR a_AT1 few_DA2 years_NNT2 ago_RA ,_, of_RR21 course_RR22 ,_, most_DAT automakers_NN2 would_VM have_VHI aggressively_RR opposed_VVN calls_NN2 for_IF government-mandated_JJ increases_NN2 in_II fuel_NN1 economy_NN1 ._. 
At_II the_AT time_NNT1 ,_, they_PPHS2 still_RR had_VHD significant_JJ clout_NN1 in_II Washington_NP1 ;_; they_PPHS2 called_VVD the_AT shots_NN2 ._. 
But_CCB that_DD1 's_VBZ changed_VVN as_II the_AT economy_NN1 has_VHZ unraveled_JJ and_CC their_APPGE fortunes_NN2 have_VH0 declined_VVN ._. 
"_" They_PPHS2 are_VBR simply_RR not_XX as_RG politically_RR potent_JJ ,_, "_" says_VVZ David_NP1 Gerard_NP1 ,_, executive_NN1 director_NN1 of_IO Carnegie_NP1 Mellon_NP1 's_GE Center_NN1 for_IF the_AT Study_NN1 and_CC Improvement_NN1 of_IO Regulation_NN1 ._. 
On_II31 top_II32 of_II33 that_DD1 ,_, automakers_NN2 this_DD1 year_NNT1 had_VHD begun_VVN to_TO fear_VVI that_CST California_NP1 's_GE request_NN1 to_TO impose_VVI tougher_JJR vehicle_NN1 emissions_NN2 standards_NN2 would_VM finally_RR be_VBI approved_VVN by_II the_AT Environmental_JJ Protection_NN1 Agency_NN1 ._. 
"_" They_PPHS2 thought_VVD they_PPHS2 were_VBDR going_VVGK to_TO lose_VVI in_II California_NP1 ,_, and_CC if_CS they_PPHS2 lost_VVD in_II California_NP1 ,_, they_PPHS2 're_VBR in_II big_JJ trouble_NN1 ,_, "_" says_VVZ Gerard_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS noted_VVD that_CST more_DAR than_CSN a_AT1 dozen_NNO other_JJ states_NN2 had_VHD endorsed_VVN California_NP1 's_GE proposal_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ turned_VVD out_RP to_TO be_VBI very_RG similar_JJ to_II the_AT national_JJ standard_NN1 Obama_NP1 announced_VVD ._. 
Had_VHD those_DD2 13_MC or_CC so_RR states_VVZ actually_RR adopted_VVD tougher_JJR standards_NN2 ,_, automakers_NN2 probably_RR would_VM have_VHI needed_VVN to_TO build_VVI different_JJ cars_NN2 for_IF different_JJ states_NN2 ._. 
Faced_VVN with_IW that_DD1 nasty_JJ prospect_NN1 and_CC grappling_VVG with_IW tough_JJ economic_JJ conditions_NN2 internally_RR ,_, automakers_NN2 instead_RR decided_VVN to_TO negotiate_VVI ._. 
"_" What_DDQ 's_VBZ so_RG important_JJ is_VBZ that_CST this_DD1 establishes_VVZ a_AT1 national_JJ standard_NN1 that_CST lets_VVZ us_PPIO2 view_VVI the_AT nation_NN1 as_CSA one_PN1 ,_, "_" rather_CS21 than_CS22 as_II a_AT1 "_" patchwork_NN1 of_IO regulations_NN2 ,_, "_" says_VVZ Sue_NP1 Cischke_NP1 ,_, Ford_NP1 's_GE vice_JJ president_NN1 of_IO sustainability_NN1 ._. 
And_CC yet_RR for_IF all_DB the_AT lofty_JJ rhetoric_NN1 and_CC warm_JJ smiles_NN2 ,_, there_EX are_VBR still_RR messy_JJ questions_NN2 ._. 
How_RGQ difficult_JJ will_NN1 it_PPH1 be_VBI for_IF automakers_NN2 to_TO fulfill_VVI this_DD1 pledge_NN1 ?_? 
And_CC how_RRQ will_VM consumers_NN2 respond_VVI ?_? 
Ford_NP1 ,_, Cischke_NP1 says_VVZ ,_, will_VM be_VBI looking_VVG for_IF efficiency_NN1 gains_NN2 "_" across_II the_AT whole_JJ vehicle_NN1 line_NN1 ._. "_" 
One_MC1 focus_NN1 ,_, she_PPHS1 says_VVZ ,_, is_VBZ improving_VVG the_AT efficiency_NN1 of_IO the_AT internal_JJ combustion_NN1 engine_NN1 ._. 
The_AT company_NN1 is_VBZ hoping_VVG to_II outfit_NN1 90_MC percent_NNU of_IO its_APPGE U.S._NP1 vehicles_NN2 by_II 2013_MC with_IW its_APPGE new_JJ EcoBoost_NN1 engines_NN2 ,_, which_DDQ the_AT company_NN1 says_VVZ get_VV0 20_MC percent_NNU better_JJR fuel_NN1 economy_NN1 than_CSN regular_JJ engines_NN2 ._. 
There_EX 's_VBZ also_RR likely_JJ to_TO be_VBI an_AT1 aggressive_JJ push_NN1 to_TO develop_VVI hybrids_NN2 ,_, much_RR to_II the_AT administration_NN1 's_GE liking_VVG ._. 
A_AT1 new_JJ study_NN1 this_DD1 week_NNT1 by_II JP_NN1 Morgan_NP1 predicts_VVZ 20_MC percent_NNU of_IO the_AT vehicles_NN2 sold_VVN in_II the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 in_II 2020_MC will_VM be_VBI hybrids_NN2 ._. 
And_CC as_CSA Michael_NP1 Sivak_NP1 of_IO the_AT University_NN1 of_IO Michigan_NP1 's_GE Transportation_NN1 Research_NN1 Institute_NN1 points_VVZ out_RP ,_, because_CS vehicles_NN2 have_VH0 gotten_VVN progressively_RR heavier_JJR over_II the_AT years_NNT2 with_IW all_DB their_APPGE extra_JJ features_NN2 ,_, one_MC1 way_NN1 to_TO boost_VVI fuel_NN1 efficiency_NN1 is_VBZ to_TO try_VVI to_TO slim_VVI them_PPHO2 down_RP ._. 
