Obama executive orders boost fuel standards

On Jan. 26, 2009, President Obama issued two executive orders concerning fuel standards.

In one order, he initiated steps to allow California to set its own standards for auto emissions that are stricter than those of the federal government. Obama directed the Environmental Protection Agency to review a Bush administration decision that denied California a waiver to continue setting the stricter guidelines. Generally speaking, tougher emissions standards translate to higher gas mileage.

In the other order, he fast-tracked the process to apply new fuel standards to 2011 car models. The law states that the rules must be in place 18 months before the model release; Obama instructed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to "take all measures" consistent with the law to get the new rules on the books by March 30, 2009.

His ultimate goal is a fleetwide average of at least 35 miles per gallon by model year 2020. The current average for cars and light trucks combined is about 25 miles per gallon.

These two orders move Obama's promise to In the Works.