Our James Gerstenzang writes in the Los Angeles Times Opinion section -- along with Safe Climate Campaign Director Dan Becker -- that one of the best ways to keep energy prices low in the long term is to enforce increased fuel efficiency in cars:
The Obama administration can't do much to lower the price of a gallon of gas, but it is on the cusp of a crucial decision that could help consumers come out ahead because they would need less gas.
Officials are quietly working on just how steeply to require the auto industry to cut emissions and increase mileage in the next generation of cars, SUVs and pickups. Their decision, coming as early as May, could require dramatically cleaner vehicles that would cut carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 6% a year and average 62 miles per gallon. The new rules would be phased in from 2017 to 2025.
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