Schwarzenegger pledges to implement new vehicle emission standards

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged on Friday to work with the federal government in implementing the new vehicle emission standards proposed by President Barack Obama.

"California will continue to work with the Obama Administration to advance emissions policies that have made us the innovation hub for advanced vehicles, low-carbon transportation, clean technology and green jobs," the governor said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, President Obama ordered his administration to prepare the first fuel efficiency standards for big rigs and heavy trucks and to extend standards for cars and light trucks beyond 2016, in a bid to reduce U.S. dependence on oil and to reduce greenhouse gases and pollutants.

Under the memorandum signed by Obama, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation will jointly develop the first plan to cover fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks for model years 2014 to 2018.

The agencies will also extend standards for cars and light-duty trucks to model year 2017 and beyond, while developing electric vehicles so as to reduce non-greenhouse-gas pollutants from motor vehicles.

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