Pres. Clinton proposed tough federal rules on Saturday to control pollution from cars and sport utility vehicles, ending an exemption that has allowed SUVs and light trucks to emit several times more smog-causing gases per mile than cars. The decision will force oil companies to slash sulfur content in fuel and automakers to design cleaner cars with larger catalytic converters. Clinton claims the regulations will not impose excessive costs on consumers or businesses, though the oil industry argues that gas prices could rise up to six cents a gallon. The oil industry is protesting the rules, but environmentalists and even automakers are generally supportive of them.
