Top Priority
Illinois Campaign For Clean Cars
Environment Illinois testifies for clean cars
On
May 15, the Illinois Clean Cars Act (H.B. 3242), which would require
automakers to produce less polluting cars for Illinois consumers,
cleared its first legislative hurdle, winning a key vote in the
Environmental Health Committee of the Illinois General Assembly. The
committee voted 7-5 in favor of the measure. House Speaker Michael
Madigan has signed on as a lead co-sponsor of the legislation.
“The
committee and leadership recognize that clean car standards can reduce
our emissions of global warming pollution by 10 million tons per year,
while also reducing the air pollution that causes heart and lung
damage,” said Rebecca Stanfield, Director of Environment Illinois.
“Moreover, cleaner cars save consumers money at the gas pump, a real
benefit as we all face the long-term reality of higher gas prices.”
At
the hearing, Stanfield and others presented testimony documenting the
benefits of the clean car standards, which have already been adopted by
California, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington,
Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Maine. By
the year 2020, these states will have avoided the emissions of nearly
400 million tons of carbon dioxide as a result of their clean car
programs.
“We know that automakers have the technology to
dramatically reduce the air pollution and global warming pollution
emitted by the cars they produce,” said Stanfield. “They are already
making cleaner cars and sending them to consumers in other states.
Illinoisans deserve to have access to the cleanest and most efficient
cars too.”
Unfortunately, automakers are waging a national
campaign in the courts and in the halls of Congress to invalidate the
states’ clean car standards. In May, state Rep. Karen May, the lead
clean car legislation sponsor, flew to Washington D.C., to testify
before the U.S. EPA against automaker moves to preempt state
action.Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan submitted written
opposition to federal preemption.
Automakers have brought multiple lawsuits arguing that states should not have the authority to regulate automobile emissions.
Clean cars reduce air pollution and save consumers money at the gas pump.
