Waiting on a First Step

President Bush enjoys the art of doublespeak. Witness this announcement: "When it comes to energy and the environment, the American people expect common sense and they expect action," Bush said. "We're taking action by taking the first steps toward rules that will make our economy stronger, our environment cleaner and our nation more secure for generations to come."

Translated : "For the first six years of my administration and the years that Republicans have controlled the House and Senate, no movement has taken place to reduce vehicle emissions, CAFE standards have not increased, and our only solution is to drill for more oil."

Having to act because a Supreme Court ruling said so, Bush now is committed to have a plan in place by the time he leaves office in January of 2009.

According to the AP

"In a Rose Garden announcement, Bush said he wanted to move ahead, pending any separate legislative approaches. The new rules will "cut gasoline consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles," he said.

But the Bush executive order telling several agencies to finish the work by 2008 also said they must take into account the views of the general public, the impact the new rules would have on safety, scientific knowledge, available technology and the cost. Bush's term ends Jan. 20, 2009.

"This is a complex legal and technical matter and it's going to take time to fully resolve," he said. The agencies involved include the departments of Transportation, Agriculture and Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Last month, the Supreme Court rebuked the Bush administration for its inaction on global warming. In a 5-4 decision, it declared that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases qualify as air pollutants under the Clean Air Act and thus can be regulated by the EPA.

The court also said that the "laundry list" of reasons the administration has given for declining to do so are insufficient, and that the EPA must regulate carbon dioxide, the leading gas linked to global warming, if it finds that it endangers public health.

Democrats who control Congress have been pressuring the administration to say when it will comply with the high court's ruling and decide whether to regulate carbon dioxide. It was unlikely they would be satisfied with the lengthy process laid out by the president.

Bush has said previously that he recognizes the serious environmental problems created by such emissions and other so-called greenhouse gases. But he has urged against anything other than a voluntary approach, saying regulations could undercut economic activity."