Statement of Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers' President and CEO Dave McCurdy Regarding EPA'S California Waiver Decision

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2007; The following is a statement of Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers' President and CEO Dave McCurdy regarding EPA'S California Waiver Decision:

"Alliance members share the concerns of our customers, the administration, and the Congress on the need to simultaneously raise fuel economy and reduce carbon dioxide.

"Automakers acted in good faith when working with Congress and the administration to develop the tough new national fuel economy law for the next 12 years and beyond.

"By denying this waiver, EPA has not wavered in preserving a national program that raises fuel economy while reducing carbon dioxide. We commend EPA for protecting a national, 50-state program.

"Enhancing energy security and improving fuel economy are priorities to all automakers, but a patchwork quilt of inconsistent and competing fuel economy programs at the state level would only have created confusion, inefficiency, and uncertainty for automakers and consumers.

"Under the new national fuel economy law, automakers will make dramatic, 30-percent reductions in carbon dioxide. In fact, automakers are the first manufacturing industry to step forward and agree to make major carbon dioxide reductions, and we expect others to follow. The new fuel economy law represents an early milestone in the road map laid out in Bali, so automakers are now in step with others around the world trying to address climate change."