Obama to curb vehicle emissions

President Barack Obama is to announce strict limits on vehicle pollution that will set national standards across the US for the first time.
The plan will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil by 2016 and be the equivalent of taking 177 million cars off the road, White House officials said.
The rules would aim to cut emissions by 30% and set fuel efficiency at 35.5 miles per gallon (15km per litre).
The cost of new vehicles is expected to rise by at least $1,300 (£842) by 2016.

Mr Obama is expected to make the announcement – which officials described as „historic“ – on Tuesday.
‘More consistency’
The BBC’s Jonathan Beale, in Washington, says President Obama has made tackling climate change a priority.
Until now it was only a few individual states, like California, that had been battling to cut greenhouse gas emissions, our correspondent says.
The US auto industry had also resisted change. But facing tougher times and having to rely on government aid it is now backing the new national standards.
„GM and the auto industry benefit by having more consistency and certainty to guide our product plans,“ GM Chief Executive Fritz Henderson said in a statement.
Mr Obama’s plan would still need the approval of the Environmental Protection Agency and the transport department.
The new measures would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 900 million metric tonnes, officials said.
The increase in mileage is to be introduced gradually, and is expected to add $1,300 to the cost of a vehicle by the time it is fully implemented in 2016.
The measures would begin to take effect in 2012.
Most passenger cars would eventually be required to run at 39 miles per gallon, and light lorries at 30 miles per gallon.
The average mileage for 2009 models in the US is 25 miles per gallon