New Rules for Fuel Economy Will Have to Wait
By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration said Wednesday it would not finish implementing new fuel-economy rules for vehicles, leaving the issue to the incoming Obama administration.

The Transportation Department said that the automakers’ recent financial problems would require the next administration “to conduct a thorough review of matters affecting the industry.”

The auto industry was swift to criticize the decision, saying any delay could cost them money.

“Anything that delays that makes it more difficult,” said Charles Territo, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. “We had expected that these rules would have been finalized last year.”

The department is required to set rules by April 1, for how automakers are to meet the new fuel economy standards.