Obama: 'Rigid Ideology Has Overruled Sound Science'

Continuing efforts to overturn more of the last administration's policies, President Obama signed a presidential memoranda today requesting the EPA consider approving a waiver that will allow 14 states to set their own stricter automobile emissions and fuel efficiency standards.

In 2007, then-Environment Protection Agency administrator Steven Johnson denied California and 13 other states -- including Arizona, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and New Jersey -- the right to set their own clean air standards, despite staff scientists' recommendation to do so.

"California has shown bold and bipartisan leadership through its effort to forge 21st-century standards and over a dozen states have followed its lead. But instead of serving as a partner, Washington stood in their way," Obama said.  - abc