Washington - The Association of Global Automakers praised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the release of its final rule on Tier 3 vehicle emissions and fuel standards.

"Reducing sulfur in gasoline brings instant benefits to consumers and the environment," said Michael J. Stanton, president and CEO, Global Automakers. "This rulemaking will reduce emissions from the existing fleet of vehicles on our roads today and opens the door for even cleaner cars in the future."

Here are the top five reasons why Global Automakers supports the EPA Tier 3 Rule:

1. Automakers and consumers will have cleaner fuel at the pump nationwide to support the 15 million new vehicles on the road each year.

2. Tier 3 standards harmonize the federal and the California LEV III emission programs for both vehicles and fuels. This provides a holistic, national approach to reducing smog-forming emissions by avoiding a patchwork of differing federal and state standards.

3. Reducing sulfur in gasoline yields immediate public benefits. Using ultra-low sulfur fuel reduces the emissions from every gasoline-powered vehicle currently on the road. According to the National Association of Clean Air Agencies, the emissions impact on the legacy fleet is equivalent to taking over 30 million vehicles off the road.

4. Ultra-low sulfur gasoline enables automakers to use a broader range of technologies to meet the nation's environmental needs while still providing consumers with a variety of vehicle choices.

5. Ultra-low sulfur gasoline is critical for automobile manufacturer efforts to meet the combined 54.5 MPG fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standard by 2025, as mandated by federal and California law.