What's New
Illinois
legislators have the opportunity to decide whether to save consumers $1 billion per year
in gas costs by making Illinois the 15th clean car state.
But big automakers don’t
want to see that happen. That’s why our elected leaders need to hear from you. Click on the link below to send a message to your legislator about bringing cleaner cars to Illinois and bringing relief to Illinois residents at the pump.
Background
Emissions from transportation sources, primarily automobile tailpipes, accounts for about one-third of Illinois’s global warming pollution. The fastest way to address this pollution is by setting tailpipe emission standards that get cleaner, more efficient cars on our roads.
The Clean Cars Act (H.B. 3424) directs Illinois EPA to adopt the Clean Car Program to reduce emissions of smog-forming pollution and greenhouse gases. Because automakers are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by making vehicles more fuel efficient, the Clean Car Program will also save consumers money and reduce Illinois’ dependence on foreign oil. Fourteen states constituting more than forty percent of the U.S. automobile market have already adopted the Clean Car Program, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, Maryland, California, Oregon, and Washington.
Unfortunately, during the 2008 legislative session, many of your state representatives did not see this as an urgent issue worth addressing. The Illinois Clean Cars Act currently has less than 40 co-sponsors and will ultimately need at least 60 votes to pass the Illinois House.
Environment Illinois and our coalition partners will be working hard to ensure passage of this bill in the future, but we need your help -- nothing makes an impact on an elected official like hearing from a concerned constituent. So contact your state representative to let him or her know that it's time to bring cleaner cars to Illinois.
One Solution, Many Benefits
H.B. 3424 would:
1. Put the Brakes on Global Warming: Reduce global warming pollution from passenger vehicles 30 percent.
2. Improve public health: Reduce smog-forming emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by thousands of tons per year.
3. Save consumers money: Cleaner Cars will save Illinoisans on average about $2000-$3000 over the life of the car because fuel savings more than offset the higher costs for a new vehicle. Used car buyers will see the most savings.
4. Reduce dependence on foreign oil: Adopting the Clean Car Program would reduce gasoline consumption in Illinois by 1 billion and 2 billion gallons annually in 2020 and 2030, respectively.
5. Keep our hard-earned dollars in state: At $3/gallon, the Clean Car Program would save Illinois drivers $3 billion in 2020 and $6 billion in 2030. Money not spent on gasoline from out of state can be spent in Illinois to buy goods and services and create jobs.
6. Preserve vehicle choice and performance: For decades auto manufacturers have warned that cleaner car standards would spell the end to large vehicles and performance, yet cleaner SUVs and light-duty trucks are meeting the standards in other states. The National Academy of Sciences found that technologies available today can meet the Clean Car Program’s greenhouse gas standards without sacrificing performance or safety.
