Auto Dealers Sell Americans a Lemon on Fuel Efficiency and Auto Pollution Standards

Letter from Environmental and Science Groups Tells Auto Dealers Association to Drop its Opposition to New Standards; Nearly 20,000 Americans Have Already Spoken Out to Auto Dealers 

WASHINGTON--Oct. 20, 2011: The CEOs of eight top U.S. environmental, science and public interest organizations are calling on the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) to drop its efforts to delay new fuel efficiency and auto pollution standards. Once finalized, these standards will save consumers billions of dollars at the gas pump, curb pollution, create new jobs, and cut America's dependence on oil.

The organizations have sent a joint letter to NADA President Philip Brady calling on him to end opposition to the proposed fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards for new cars and light trucks sold in model years 2017-2025. Following an agreement between the Obama administration, California and major automakers this summer, the standard setting process is broadly supported by the industry, labor, and public interest organizations. Despite clear benefits to its customers, NADA is the only organization lobbying policymakers to block these standards.

"These standards are supported by major automakers, the United Auto Workers, California and other clean car states, and numerous consumer, environmental, business and national security organizations. By continuing to oppose these standards, NADA is trying to sell Congress, dealers, and the American people a lemon," reads the letter from CEOs of the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra Club, Environment America, the Safe Climate Campaign, the Union of Concerned Scientists, all members of the Go60MPG coalition, as well as the CEOs of the Coalition for Clean Air, Clean Air Watch, and Energy Independence Now.

The letter concludes, "Delaying these standards will only force Americans to pay more at the gas pump, jeopardize new jobs and investments, put the health of our communities at risk from increased pollution, and continue America's dangerous dependence on oil."

The full text of the letter can be found at NADA Letter.

Based on the agreement announced this summer, the new vehicle standards are expected to:

• Cut America's oil dependence by 1.5 million barrels per day in 2030 -- equal to what the U.S. imported from Saudi Arabia and Iraq last year.
• Create nearly 500,000 new jobs, both in the auto industry and the economy at large.
• Save American consumers more than $44 billion in 2030 alone -- even after paying for the cost of fuel-saving technology.
• Clean up our air by preventing 280 million metric tons of heat-trapping global warming pollution from entering the atmosphere in 2030 alone.

Go60MPG is a joint effort of Environment America, the National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, the Safe Climate Campaign, the Sierra Club, and the Union of Concerned Scientists. American ingenuity and technology can make all-new cars and trucks cleaner and more fuel-efficient. It's one of the biggest steps America can take towards saving money at the gas pump, cleaning up our air, and ending America's oil dependence. That's why Go60MPG is rallying public support to raise fuel efficiency standards for new cars to at least 60 miles per gallon and no more than 143 grams per mile of carbon pollution by 2025. Go60MPG also wants to see improvements in America's big rigs and other work trucks.