Environment Minister Jim Prentice has announced the federal government's intention to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from new cars and light-duty trucks under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, starting with the 2011 model year. A notice of intent to regulate was posted in the April 4, 2009 edition of the Canada Gazette. The new standards will be equivalent to the US national fuel economy standards that were announced on March 27, 2009 for the 2011 model year. It is estimated that these new standards will raise the average fuel economy of new cars and light trucks to 27.3 miles per gallon (202 grams of CO2 per kilometer). The government has indicated this approach allows for the flexibility to align with the US fuel economy regulations as they emerge. Consultations with representatives of other levels of government and stakeholders will begin in the coming weeks.