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U.S. President Barack Obama waded into the energy debate on Monday, telling his administration to take a second look at whether states should have their own jurisdiction on auto emissions standards.

Under the Bush administration, states such as California that wanted to introduce tougher emissions standards, were prevented from doing so.

"Washington stood in their way," Obama said at a White House gathering.

He said he intends to make it easier for states to bring in regulations that are more stringent than the national standard. In addition to California, there are at least a dozen others that have tried to introduce their own emissions standards but have been unable to do so.

Obama said he wants the Environmental Protection Agency to look into the legislation that has so far blocked those initiatives.

Obama also told his administration to start working on new fuel-efficiency guidelines for the auto industry. The goal is to have those guidelines in place in time for the 2011 model line.

"For the sake of our security, our economy and our planet, we must have the courage and commitment to change," Obama said.

"It will be the policy of my administration," he said, "to reverse our dependence on foreign oil while building a new energy economy that will create millions of jobs."

Obama was clear his administration's philosophy will break from that of his predecessor George Bush.

"Year after year, decade after decade, we've chosen delay over decisive action," Obama said.

"Rigid ideology has overruled sound science. Special interests have overshadowed common sense. Rhetoric has not led to the hard work needed to achieve results -- and our leaders raise their voices each time there's a spike on gas prices, only to grow quiet when the price falls at the pump."

John Fortier, of the American Enterprise Institute, told Â鶹ӰÊÓnet that Obama's speech established the path the government will take, but was still short on details.

"He's moving in a direction he said he would on the campaign trail, but the tough choices are down the road," Fortier said.

Some of the environmental promises may be difficult to enact, he said.

If Obama's administration does impose stricter emissions and fuel efficiency standards, for example, they will come at a time when the auto industry is struggling, and relying on government bailouts to continue doing business.

But those details haven't been released yet.

"We're hearing a little bit -- that there will be more conservation through some greener regulations and that the technology will eventually lead us to a better place...but these are not the larger energy measures that some Democrats expected to have down the road," Fortier said.

Prior to taking office, and in his inaugural address, Obama indicated much of his rescue plan for the U.S. economy relies on creating jobs in the clean energy sector.

California has a special exemption from the federal Clean Air Act, because it began regulating vehicle emissions before the federal government did. However, the state still requires a federal waiver in order to enforce stricter rules.

Such a waiver was requested by California in 2007, but was denied by the Bush administration.

That decision will be re-examined under Monday's announcement by Obama.

"The federal government must work with, not against, states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Obama said.

He added: "The days of Washington dragging its heels are over. My administration will not deny facts; we will be guided by them."