While declining to talk about the details of the agreement, GM’s Washington spokesman Greg Martin said in an interview that he was pleased the two sides were able to reach a consensus.
“The talks over the last few weeks have yielded real progress, and we’re hopeful there’s a way to improve fuel economy but retain customer choice and the industry’s recent resurgence,” Martin said.
Environmentalists, by contrast, said they would withhold judgment for the moment on whether the agreement would deliver sufficient reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and oil consumption.
“Until the White House provides us the full details, we are not in position to assess whether this is a strong proposal or whether there are any significant flaws,” said Roland Hwang, transportation program director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. “From what we’ve read, there are certainly aspects that are encouraging but there are potential loopholes which could be troubling. Now it appears there is an agreement, it’s time for the auto industry to work in good faith to not exploit the loopholes that threaten to undermine the consumer and pollution benefits.”
Michelle Robinson, director of the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Clean Vehicles program, said, “The Union of Concerned Scientists considers this a positive milestone on the road to strong vehicle and fuel efficiency standards and the pollution reductions, energy security benefits and consumer savings they can deliver.
“There are still important details that need to be finalized that will determine the overall success of this program. . . . We anticipate that as this program is implemented and consumers get behind the wheel of more and more clean, fuel efficient vehicles, it will be clear that we can go even farther.”
The White House agreed to provide credits for hybrid pickup trucks and for technologies that are not accounted for in testing that determines compliance with federal standards, such as louvered grilles, solar roof cells and thermoelectric waste exhaust.
The deal also includes a midterm review by the spring of 2018 that will address whether standards for 2022 to 2025 are on track. The assessment will be conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration and the California Air Resources Board, after which the EPA will determine if any changes are needed.
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