The Obama Administration has this week taken steps to cut auto pollution and improve automobile mileage requirements under the CAFE (Corporate average fuel economy) standards. The Corporate Average Fuel Economy has been a stupid auto industry lobbied for "standard" that allows Detroit to sell poor mileage, heavily polluting vehicles (Hummers, Excursions) if the Corporations "balance" these environmental violators with other "more efficent" vehicles. Who keeps score isn't clear.
In the long term the transportatiion answer in the US isn't cars at all - it is rail. In Ohio the 3C rail corridor appears to be moving forward.
Rob Pitingolo reports on Extraordinary Observations [1] some of the practical issues with rail transit in Cleveland today, including the awkard location of the present Amtrac Station, and entertains ideas on how to connect future high speed rail to RTA's inner city rail in NEO. I picked this up from Mr. Pitingolo's post on Brewed Fresh Daily [2]. Map Photo from Extraordinary Observations.
Links:
[1] http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UnYG5zOkgEY/SgdNR5amphI/AAAAAAAABEQ/hNFmPuF1KDU/s400/Obamarail.jpg
[2] http://www.brewedfreshdaily.com/2009/can-cleveland%E2%80%99s-amtrak-station-be-salvaged