Automakers and Car Dealers Lobby Washington to Reject California Greenhouse Gas Standards

Since the EPA announced last December that is was denying California’s waiver to set their own fuel economy standards, there have been a lot of misunderstandings about the automakers position.

Our support last December for the historic Energy Independence and Security Act will lead to a 40 percent increase in fuel economy standards and 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from new automobiles, more than the leading climate change legislation, Lieberman-Warner, bill would require from any other sector of the economy

Manufacturers support a single natiowide fuel economy standard. As much as he'd like to it is worng for It is wrong to dismiss the patchwork quilt argument. Consider this: current federal standards are applied as an average for all new vehicles sold in the United States. But vehicle sales and preferences vary greatly from state to state based on the unique needs of different areas.

For example, 70% of the new vehicles purchased in Vermont are light trucks, while 50% of the new vehicles purchased in California are light trucks. If Vermont adopts the California standard, the needs and preferences of Vermont consumers won’t change…but the autos available to them may.

As auto manufacturers, we would prefer to provide a full spectrum of cars from which the public can choose, while working vigorously to improve the fuel efficiency of those cars – and we are doing that – rather than being forced to tell consumers ‘hey, sorry, but you can’t buy the car you want in this State.’ We believe the consumers would rather have that choice, too.
What about the larger question of environmental progress?

The auto industry does share your concerns over the need to raise fuel economy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. This year, we are offering more than 100 models that achieve highway fuel economy ratings of more than 30 miles per gallon and we offer more than 70 models of alternative fuel automobiles. Technological progress is happening rapidly, but there are also very real consequences for demanding progress without considering the demands of the market. The key, now, is to improve the fuel infrastructure in order to allow more widespread public adoption of the fuel efficient vehicles that auto manufacturers already produce.

However, the real solutions to climate change will require a national - and more importantly an international - response. The landmark new fuel economy law delivers one by providing an early milestone in the road map laid out in Bali. The U.S. auto industry is the first major manufacturing industry to step forward and agree to make significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. We hope other industries will follow. And we hope the current national system - which not only works but has been improved with the recent energy legislation – will not be torn apart.

Since the EPA announced last December that is was denying California’s waiver to set their own fuel economy standards, there have been a lot of misunderstandings about the automakers position.

Our support last December for the historic Energy Independence and Security Act will lead to a 40 percent increase in fuel economy standards and 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from new automobiles, more than the leading climate change legislation, Lieberman-Warner, bill would require from any other sector of the economy

Manufacturers support a single natiowide fuel economy standard. As much as he'd like to it is worng for It is wrong to dismiss the patchwork quilt argument. Consider this: current federal standards are applied as an average for all new vehicles sold in the United States. But vehicle sales and preferences vary greatly from state to state based on the unique needs of different areas.

For example, 70% of the new vehicles purchased in Vermont are light trucks, while 50% of the new vehicles purchased in California are light trucks. If Vermont adopts the California standard, the needs and preferences of Vermont consumers won’t change…but the autos available to them may.

As auto manufacturers, we would prefer to provide a full spectrum of cars from which the public can choose, while working vigorously to improve the fuel efficiency of those cars – and we are doing that – rather than being forced to tell consumers ‘hey, sorry, but you can’t buy the car you want in this State.’ We believe the consumers would rather have that choice, too.
What about the larger question of environmental progress?

The auto industry does share your concerns over the need to raise fuel economy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. This year, we are offering more than 100 models that achieve highway fuel economy ratings of more than 30 miles per gallon and we offer more than 70 models of alternative fuel automobiles. Technological progress is happening rapidly, but there are also very real consequences for demanding progress without considering the demands of the market. The key, now, is to improve the fuel infrastructure in order to allow more widespread public adoption of the fuel efficient vehicles that auto manufacturers already produce.

However, the real solutions to climate change will require a national - and more importantly an international - response. The landmark new fuel economy law delivers one by providing an early milestone in the road map laid out in Bali. The U.S. auto industry is the first major manufacturing industry to step forward and agree to make significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. We hope other industries will follow. And we hope the current national system - which not only works but has been improved with the recent energy legislation – will not be torn apart.

Charles Territo, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

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