Boxer To Chimp Rep: "For Those Who Want To Do Nothing (re.) Fuel Economy, You're Perfect Spokesman"

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In January, Bush called for a 4% annual increase in fuel economy standards through 2017, resulting in an average of about 34 miles per gallon. Nicole Nason, the head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, told senators NHTSA would try to meet the president's goal but needed to do extensive research to ensure it was feasible.

Last week, the administration said its plans could cost $114 billion, including $85 billion for Detroit automakers, but warned that those estimates were based on 4-year-old data.

Nason told Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., that she couldn't predict what percentage increase NHTSA would eventually set, to which Kerry replied that without a set target, "this is meaningless, this is just a game." "If the president sets it as a goal, you do everything you can to meet it," Nason replied.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., told Nason "for those who want to do nothing about fuel economy, you're the perfect spokesman," and pressed her to say whether Bush would veto a specific fuel economy increase mandated by Congress. Nason declined to say whether Bush would sign or veto such a bill. She did tell Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H., that if a mandated increase passed, there could be "a way for us to comply with Congress. It would have to be written carefully."

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http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070307/BUSINESS01/703070346/1014