Obama administration moves ahead with sweeping rules requiring cleaner gasoline

http://www.washingtonpost.com ^ | march 28, 2013 | Juliet Eilperin

[lowbridge]

The Environmental Protection Agency will move ahead Friday with rules requiring cleaner gasoline and cars nationwide, despite fierce protests from the oil industry and some conservative Democrats, according to several individuals briefed on the matter.

The proposed rules — which had been stuck in regulatory limbo since December 2011 in the face of intense political opposition — would cut the amount of sulfur in U.S. gasoline by two-thirds and impose fleetwide pollution limits on new vehicles by 2017.

The regulation enjoys support from auto companies, state regulators, environmental groups and equipment manufacturers. But oil industry officials and their congressional allies argue the proposed standards would raise gasoline prices and could result in greater carbon dioxide emissions because they will spur additional refining activity.

Opponents estimate the standards would force refiners to spend $10 billion to upgrade their facilities and an additional $2.4 billion in annual operating costs, adding 6 to 9 cents to the cost of a gallon of gas. Public health advocates say the ultimate cost would amount to less than a penny per gallon because of provisions giving refiners flexibility in complying with the standards.

[Figment]

“It has nothing to do with emissions, and everything to do with control. The goal of obama and his minions is nationalization of the oil industry, and the entire energy sector in the US.”

The absolute control of everything. The government is out of control and needs to be reined in

[highball]

Thanks!

So would this mean new federal requirements for auto manufacturers going forward? Is this something that’s going to increase the cost of our next cars?

[RayChuang88]

The engines I’ve described have been available in Europe for just over five years. That’s why Audi and BMW’s have GDI engines sold in Europe, and now we’ll see a lot more of them in the USA.

[highball]

So these new rules aren’t as big a deal as we would suspect.

Thanks for the insight!