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One National Program, 3 Years Later

May 22, 2012 by Michael J. Stanton - President and CEO

May 19, 2012 marked the third anniversary of the Rose Garden ceremony where President Obama announced the establishment of One National Program.  It was an historic moment when the Administration, the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the State of California and the world’s largest auto manufacturers came together to make an unprecedented commitment to increase fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through a coordinated federal-state process that would ensure that automobile manufacturers would not be subject to a patchwork of inconsistent federal and state requirements. 

The first step agreed to was the establishment of aggressive fuel economy and GHG standards for all new model year 2012 – 2016 cars and light-duty trucks sold in the U.S. and a commitment to continue to work toward One National Program in future years.
 
Since 2009, Global Automakers and our members have worked diligently with all interested parties to ensure the adoption of the best program possible.  Less than a year after the Rose Garden Ceremony, DOT, EPA and California adopted final, harmonized standards for MY 2012-2016 cars and light duty trucks.  Later this year we anticipate that the second phase of the Program for MY 2017-2025 vehicles will be finalized.

Our member companies continue to make tremendous strides in fuel economy, making technological advancements to improve the efficiency of internal combustion engines and planning for the future with electric vehicles powered by hydrogen, natural gas and biofuels.  Yet, challenges related to cost and infrastructure, and most importantly consumer acceptance, remain.  We look forward to continuing to work together with policy makers and regulators on finding solutions to these challenges.