(Thumbnail Image: EPA)

BY GRACE MEINERS

It’s a common sight in a classroom, but not in a car dealership lot. The Obama administration proposed Monday to assign letter grades to the window stickers on new vehicles as one of the alternatives to the labels that exist today. Automakers oppose the government proposal.

We’re looking at perspectives from the EPA, Treehugger.com, The Detroit News, Fox News, and WDIV in Detroit.

The EPA’s Assistant Administrator Gina McCarthy says by assigning cars a simple letter grade from A to D based on the car’s fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions, the proposed labels will help consumers make better-informed decisions.

“The first label is a bit different than the current label. The first thing you’ll notice —and it’s going to jump out at you — is that it has a letter grade. ... This one is for a gasoline vehicle, and it shows the mile per gallon, city and highway estimates, and it also shows annual fuel costs.”

The green news blog TreeHugger says the grades will help deter customers from purchasing the latest and greatest SUV on the lot.

“There are still many people out there who have no idea if 16 MPG is good or bad, but if they saw a big red ‘D’ on a sticker, they might be tempted to find a vehicle with a better grade.”

However, Dave McCurdy, president and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, expressed skepticism in a Detroit News article.

“Automakers support providing our customers with meaningful information for decision-making on vehicles that meet their particular needs, but the proposed letter grade falls short because it is imbued with school-yard memories of passing and failing."

On Fox News, Chris Horner from the Competitive Enterprise Institute says this is just another example of the Obama Administration forcing regulation to implement its global warming agenda. He goes on to say fuel-efficient cars are more dangerous than the larger, less fuel-efficient SUVs.

Chris: “Most importantly, this is not about safety. This is blood for less oil.”
Neil: “Well, I tell you. A light vehicle does not necessarily mean a safe vehicle.”

WDIV in Detroit says the government recognizes the opposition these proposed labels could create, and is opening up the next 60 days to public debate.

“What they’re going to do is what they always do in these types of situations. They’re going to public meetings across the country to get voter input.”

If you’re wondering what grade your vehicle would get, NPR reports electric vehicles would get an A-plus, and many sports cars would get a D.

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