Global Warming Emissions Law Enforces State's Right to Protect Citizens from Auto Pollution

SAN FRANCISCO--Dec. 7, 2004--The California Clean Cars Campaign today called the automakers' legal challenge of the state's vehicle global warming regulation an attack on the state's right to protect its citizens from auto air pollution. The landmark standards, adopted by the state's Air Resources Board in September, require auto companies to reduce tailpipe emissions of heat-trapping pollutants that exacerbate global warming.

Increases in infectious diseases related to global warming, increases in heat deaths, asthma and other illnesses due to higher smog levels are clearly dangers to public health. Changes in precipitation patterns, and loss of the snow pack on which Californians depend for fresh water, are examples of serious dangers that global warming poses to the state's natural resources and economy.

The law is about air pollution, not fuel economy. It's about applying advanced technology to reduce emissions of vehicle pollutants. Under the federal Clean Air Act, California has the clear right to set vehicle emission standards even if they have an impact on fuel consumption. Under the federal fuel economy law, if air pollution and fuel economy rules collide, federal law gives priority to reducing air pollution.

Cars and light trucks are the largest source of global warming pollution in California, accounting for 40 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the state. Instead of fighting the state's auto emissions standards, automakers should put their energies into producing a new generation of clean cars and trucks, which consumers in California clearly want.

California has been the national leader on air pollution regulations, driven by the state's serious air pollution problems -- and California regulations have led to cleaner technologies being deployed nationwide. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has promised to uphold that tradition, by defending the law against automakers' court challenges. Californians have supported strong environmental laws over the years. According to a July 2004 survey by the Public Policy Institute of California, 81 percent of California voters support the law.

The California Clean Cars Campaign is a project of the state's leading health, environmental and public interest groups working to ensure successful implementation of California's law to cut vehicle global warming pollution. For more information please visit calcleancars.org.