WASHINGTON (May 14, 2007) – Today President Bush instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to draft regulations that would cut U.S. gasoline consumption by 20 percent over the next 10 years to reduce global warming pollution. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) says Congress must lock specific, mandatory goals in place.

Below is a statement by David Friedman, UCS Clean Vehicles Program research director:

"If the president delivers what he's promised, his proposal would take the nation a long way toward reducing its dependence on oil and cutting global warming pollution. But, given that the Supreme Court had to force the Bush administration to regulate greenhouse gases, Congress is going to have to enact guaranteed fuel economy improvements and low carbon fuel standards.

"Americans are facing high gas prices and the mounting threat of global warming. We need guaranteed progress, not promises.

"Congress should lock in a 4 percent per year fuel economy improvement to guarantee progress for at least the next decade. Congress also should require cuts in vehicle global warming pollution by promoting renewable fuels that do not threaten the environment.

"Meanwhile, the EPA must grant California and 11 other states a waiver to regulate global warming pollution from cars and trucks. Now that the administration has accepted the Supreme Court's decision on global warming pollution there is no excuse to hold up state efforts to cut pollution under the Clean Air Act.

"Achieving the president's goal of improving vehicle efficiency would require the fleet of cars and light trucks to reach 34 miles per gallon by 2017 and should guarantee that the 4 percent per year efficiency improvement continues beyond that date.

"The goal of cutting global warming pollution from car and light truck fuels could be met through a significant ramp up of cellulosic ethanol to 17 billion to 20 billion gallons by 2017 in addition to as much as 15 billion to 18 billion gallons of today's conventional biofuels. Efforts to expand biofuels and other low-carbon fuels must include safeguards against unintended consequences to public health and the environment.

"Not all alternative fuels are created equal. If alternative fuels are made from coal instead of renewable resources, the president will not meet his goal of stopping the projected growth in carbon dioxide emissions from cars, light trucks and SUVs by 2017. Making gasoline or diesel from coal would nearly double the amount of global warming pollution produced from gasoline today."