President Barack Obama today ordered the EPA to reconsider California’s petition to set strict automobile emission and fuel efficiency standards.

Under Section 209 the Clean Air Act, California has special authority to enact stricter air-pollution standards for motor vehicles than the federal government’s standards. However, California must file a petition with the EPA and meet certain criteria. Other states may adopt California’s standards, but those states’ emissions standards only become effective when California’s petition is granted by EPA.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger last week sent a letter to President Obama urging him to reverse the Bush administration’s decision in 2007 which denied California’s request. President Obama’s action today does just that.

Automakers in the past have opposed California’s waiver petition arguing that granting the waiver will force them to build two separate types of automobiles - those for California and states adopting its regulations, and automobiles for states that have not adopted California’s emissions standards.

In addition to granting California’s waiver request, President Obama ordered the Department of Transportation to issue guidelines to ensure that the nation’s auto fleet reaches an average fuel efficiency of 35 miles per gallon by 2020, if not earlier.