PennFuture Calls Upcoming House Vote a Clear Choice: More Fuel-Efficient Cleaner Cars

Citizens Ask Legislators: 'Which Side Are You On?'

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 20 -- Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture) today called on members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to vote against legislation to kill the state's proposed Clean Vehicles Program. The vote is set for Tuesday, October 24.

"The choice couldn't be clearer," said John Hanger, president and CEO of PennFuture. "A vote for more fuel-efficient cleaner cars that meet the Pennsylvania/California standard, or a vote to continue our addiction to foreign oil from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Five years after our nation was attacked by oil-funded terrorists, it is appalling that any legislator would vote against a program that will help Pennsylvanians cut the cord on our oil dependence.

"As Tuesday approaches, citizens want their legislators to answer one question: 'Which side are you on?' The public has already answered that question for themselves, with unprecedented support for the clean cars program. Now, the legislators must face their own moment of truth," continued Hanger.

The vote on Tuesday in the House of Representatives is on a bill designed to kill the Pennsylvania clean cars program, Senate Bill 1025, which was raced through the House Transportation Committee on October 17. The Committee action came just after a full-page ad paid for by out-of-state special interests appeared in the Harrisburg Patriot-News, and less than 24 hours after the committee leadership suddenly announced the consideration of the bill, which was believed dead by most observers. House leadership then put the bill on a fast track, to be considered on the last voting day of the House session before the election break.

The final regulations requiring cars sold in the Commonwealth to meet more protective pollution standards beginning with the 2008 model year were passed by a 16-2 vote of the Environmental Quality Board on September 19, following public comments of nearly 5,000 citizens in favor of the new rule and an extensive public involvement process. The standards were developed by the state of California, and are the only option besides the weak standards of the federal government.

"While some legislators are painting this as an issue of 'Pennsylvania sovereignty,' it is really an issue of Pennsylvania security," continued Hanger. "We can never be secure as long as we continue to feed our oil addiction through imports from global hotspots, often hostile to the interests of Pennsylvanians.

"So it comes down to this: On Tuesday, will the Pennsylvania legislature stand up for Pennsylvanians, or - by doing the auto and oil industries' bidding - force us to continue our dangerous and deadly addiction to foreign oil?"

Absent House action, only approval by the Independent Regulatory Review Commission next month must occur to finalize adoption of the clean cars program. Once the rule is fully implemented, Pennsylvania will join Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Oregon, Washington and California in opting for the clean cars program.