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Department of Ecology News Release - September 12, 2007
07-261
OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire and 12 other governors from across the United States sent a letter today, Sept. 12, to automotive corporations asking the industry to support the governors’ commitment to address climate change.
“The public is demanding that states, in the absence of federal action, take real and meaningful steps to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases,” the governors wrote in the letter. “Ensuring that our automobiles have a lower carbon footprint is an essential piece of our greenhouse gas reduction strategy.”
The letter went further to explain that nationally, the passenger vehicle/light-duty truck sector is second only to the electricity sector in the amount of greenhouse gases emitted. In Washington, however, the transportation sector makes up the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. California was the first state to adopt clean tailpipe standards, followed by Washington and 10 other states, leading to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 74 million metric tons by 2020.
Gov. Gregoire noted, “Transportation is the biggest source of climate-changing emissions in Washington. We are counting on the automakers to do their part by rising to meet the challenge of climate change and taking the responsible, necessary steps to cut emissions."
The 13 governors asked the automotive leaders to withdraw the legal challenges to clean vehicle standards and work with the states to reverse the threat of global warming. “We do not believe it is productive for your industry to continue to fight state implementation of clean tailpipe standards,” the governors said. “We would prefer to follow a path that encourages innovation not litigation.”
“Your companies are on record as supporting efforts to combat climate change,” remarked the governors. “Selling cars that meet the clean car standards is a major step in fulfilling your commitment. It is time for us to work together to reduce the transportation sector’s contribution to global warming in our states and provinces.”
States involved include Washington, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Utah. Five Canadian provinces also have committed to adopting these standards.
A copy of the letter from the governor is available at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2007news/20070912_GovsAutoLetter.pdf
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Media contacts: Seth Preston, Ecology communications manager, 360-407-6848; Nelsa Brodie, Ecology communications manager, 360-407-7139
Ecology’s climate change website: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
