U.S. EPA Might Not Allow States to Move Forward
Baltimore—Tailpipe standards adopted by Maryland and 11 other states would reduce
global warming emissions by nearly 400 million metric tons by 2020 – a reduction
level equivalent to taking 74 million of today’s cars off the road for an
entire year, according to a new report released today by Environment Maryland. The report comes as the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) prepares to hold a public hearing on whether to allow
states to reduce global warming pollution from cars and SUVs.
“As the
Bush administration sits on its hands, states are moving forward,” said Environment
Maryland State Director Brad Heavner. “This
is a great example of how states can collectively have an enormous impact.”
Environment
Maryland’s new report analyzes government
data and non-profit studies to estimate the reduction in global warming
emissions, reduction in oil consumption, and consumer savings that would result
from the global warming emission standards for cars and SUVs that have been
adopted by 12 states. The report also
looks at the benefits from the additional six states that are considering the
policy. Key findings include:
- The
12-state standards will cut global warming emissions from cars, light trucks,
and SUVs by 392 million metric tons by 2020, the equivalent to taking 74
million of today’s cars off the road for an entire year.
- The
12-state standards could reduce gasoline consumption by as much as 8.3 billion
gallons per year in 2020—as much as is consumed by all the vehicles in Florida in a year—and enable consumers to
save up to $25.8 billion annually at the pump in 2020.
- If
the six additional states that are considering the policy adopt the standards, the
total global warming emission reductions would grow to 536 million metric tons
by 2020, the equivalent to taking 101 million of today’s cars off the road for
an entire year.
“This is
a win-win policy. Reducing global
warming pollution from cars and SUVs will also start to reduce our dependence
on oil and save consumers money at the gas pump,” said Heavner.
In late
2004, California adopted first-of-a-kind standards requiring cars
and light-duty trucks to limit emissions that contribute to global
warming. Since then, 11 other
states—including Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New
York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington—have adopted
the tailpipe standards. EPA has been
sitting for 18 months on California’s request for a waiver under the
Clean Air Act, which EPA has routinely issued more than 50 times in the last
four decades, in effect blocking implementation of the emission standards in California and other states. Passenger vehicles are the second largest
source of global warming emissions nationwide.
EPA is
holding two public hearings on the waiver request – one tomorrow in the DC
metro area and the second next week in Sacramento.
EPA scheduled the hearings and opened a public comment period on the
issue after the Supreme Court ruled in April that the Clean Air Act gives EPA
the authority to regulate carbon dioxide and other global warming pollutants
from cars.
“The U.S.
EPA should be doing all it can to protect the environment,” said Heavner. “Instead, it is actively holding back efforts
to reduce our impact on global warming.”
Earlier
this year, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
concluded that global warming will lead to more droughts,
floods, heat waves, water stress, forest fires, and coastal flooding in the
U.S., but that “many impacts can be avoided, reduced, or delayed” by reining in
global warming emissions.
Tomorrow’s
public hearing starts at 9 am at the EPA Potomac Yard Conference Center, 2777 Crystal Drive, Room S-1204 in Arlington, Virginia.
State Senator Brian Frosh will present Maryland’s case at the hearing.
“The EPA
should immediately give Maryland and the other states the green
light to put cleaner cars on the road,” Heavner concluded.
CleanCarsandGlobalWarming.pdf