Court Rejects Weak Fuel Economy Regulations, We Want More!

Let’s all thank the 9th Circuit court for stating the obvious. Thursday a three judge panel ruled that 23.5 mpg is not a high enough fuel economy standard for light trucks and SUVs. Why not? The court finally stated explicitly that standards must take greenhouse gas emissions into account. This is not an earth-shattering assertion, but it is progress.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, we can talk about a complete overhaul of fuel economy regulation. First of all, as long as there are different standards for cars and light trucks/SUVs, the numbers don’t mean a lot. Americans drive light trucks and SUVs as commuter cars, and the current legislation exempts vehicles like the 8,500-lb. Ford Excursion and 10,000-lb. H2. No matter how efficient our cars are, as long as these behemoths are driving alongside them, too much carbon is getting in to the air.

California’s proposed fuel efficiency standards will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new vehicles 30% by 2016, in line with the overall target of 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. They incorporate not only GHGs coming out the tailpipe but emissions over the lifetime of the vehicle – including those released during production, maintenance and scrapping.
We cannot afford to settle for band-aids. We need real global warming solutions for America, and we need them now.

About Alex

Alex Tinker is the Director of Civic Engagement for Focus the Nation, an organization that provides a platform for young people to engage their elected leaders on climate and energy issues. Before coming to Focus the Nation as a national organizer in 2007, Alex was a field manager for Working America/AFL-CIO where he worked to pass the Healthy Kids Plan and Employee Free Choice Act. His career as an activist dates back to canvassing against anti-gay Ballot Measure Nine in 1992 and he has been involved in peace and social justice work with the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) his whole life. Most recently, Alex coordinated visits with 50 Congressional offices as a part of Climate Ride 2008. Alex holds a B.S. in Political Science and Economics from the University of Oregon.

1 Response to “Court Rejects Weak Fuel Economy Regulations, We Want More!”

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1 Nina Rizzo Nov 19th, 2007 at 2:30 pm

I’m currently in Fresno, and in a few hours I’ll be witnessing the beginning of a court hearing in town because the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (AAM), which represents General Motors, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Toyota and others have filed a lawsuit here in an attempt to block the California’s legislation you referred to that would reduce global warming pollution from tailpipes.

It’s painfully ironic to see car companies paint themselves green via advertising and showcases at auto shows like the one we just had in Los Angeles, but simultaneously drive backwards, inhibiting efforts to implement practical solutions to global warming. It’s also painfully ironic to see that they’ve filed here int he Central Valley, where asthma rates shoot through the roof because of poor air quality (http://calcleanair.org/), much of it caused by our car culture.

It’s Getting Hot In Here