WASHINGTON – High pump prices and a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling requiring presidential action to cut global warming gasses, Monday, President George W. Bush requested four federal agencies to draft new rules to cut greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles by the end of his term of office, The Washington Post reports.

However, Democrats, environmentalists and some energy experts criticized the president’s request, saying he was delaying measures that he could impose immediately.

President Bush said the rules would “cut gasoline consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles,” writes the Post. He said the regulations should dovetail with his previously announced plan to cut projected gasoline consumption by 20 percent over the next 10 years.

“We're taking action by taking the first steps toward rules that will make our economy stronger, our environment cleaner and our nation more secure,” Bush said.

Critics said the president’s request wasn’t enough, especially now that gasoline prices are escalating, the U.S. automobile industry is in disorder and Congress is attempting to change fuel efficiency standards for the first time in 40 years, the newspaper reports.

Bush's plan asks that the Agriculture, Energy and Transportation departments work with the EPA on regulations to lower vehicle emissions. “This is a complicated legal and technical matter, and it's going to take time to fully resolve,” Bush said.