Reply #14: Clinton and CAFE [View All]

[Ian David]

Clinton signs bill continuing CAFE freeze

Written By: Bonner R. Cohen
Published In: Environment News
Publication Date: January 1, 2000
Publisher: The Heartland Institute

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On September 16, the Senate, by a vote of 55 to 40, rejected an amendment sponsored by Slade Gorton (R-Washington) that would have allowed the administration "to study" the advisability of lifting Congress’ mandated freeze on Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Gorton had tried to attach his amendment to a popular transportation funding bill that enjoyed wide bipartisan support, thanks to the pork it contained.

Introduced in the mid-1970s at the height of the energy crisis, CAFE established a new federal scheme for regulating the average fuel economy of an automaker's entire fleet of cars and light trucks. Currently, CAFE standards are 27.5 miles per gallon (mpg) for cars and 20.7 mpg for light trucks, a category that includes SUVs, minivans, and pickup trucks. Congress froze CAFE standards in 1995, and the Gorton amendment was an effort to lift that freeze.

Given the administration's--and particularly EPA's--hostility to SUVs, few doubted that the study Gorton proposed would have resulted in tighter fuel economy standards for light trucks. SUVs, seen as "gas guzzlers," are viewed as otherwise environmentally unfriendly because their emissions are higher than those of smaller vehicles.

Environmentalists were initially encouraged by the closeness of the vote, and they urged President Clinton to veto the giant transportation funding bill unless the Gorton amendment was restored. They noted that the 55 votes in favor of extending the freeze on CAFE for another year was far short of the two-thirds necessary to override a veto. But their hopes were dashed on October 12, when Clinton, despite an intensive lobbying campaign by green groups, signed the transportation bill.

More:
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=9852




MAY 27, 1999 5:59 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Sierra Club
Ann Mesnikoff, Sierra Club, 202-547-1141
Katherine Silverthorne, U.S. PIRG, 202-546-9707
31 Senators Call On Clinton To Support Cleaner SUVs, Nearing Level To Sustain Presidential Action
http://www.commondreams.org/pressreleases/may99/052799j.htm

WASHINGTON - May 27 - The Sierra Club and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) today hailed 31 U.S. Senators who signed a letter calling on President Clinton to improve pollution-cutting mile-per-gallon standards for automobiles. The letter indicates Senate support for CAFE has approached the level needed to support presidential action to implement the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) law.

"I believe strongly that global warming is not a problem we can afford to ignore or dismiss. Strengthening the CAFE standards is one of the easiest, most important steps we can take to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and fight global warming," said Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who authored the letter and, along with Senators Bryan (D-NV) and Gorton (R-WA), led the effort in the Senate.

If the President heeds the Senators' call by implementing the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) law, it will save consumers money at the gas pump and cut global warming pollution by 240 million tons per year when fully phased in.

"Americans want cleaner SUVs and other light trucks, as they proved when thousands of citizens called, wrote and e-mailed their Senators asking them to cut auto pollution," said Ann Mesnikoff of Sierra Club's Global Warming Program. "These Senators listened to their constituents and joined the fight for cleaner vehicles. Raising CAFE standards is the biggest single step we can take to curb global warming."

"Families that drive SUVs should not be denied the benefits of fuel saving technology," said U.S. PIRG Staff Attorney Katherine Silverthorne. "The auto industry and their friends in Congress should stop holding fuel efficiency hostage. It's time to fix our gas guzzlers and put the brakes on global warming pollution."

"These Senators are turning the tables on automakers, refusing to be cowed by industry pressure -- it's a `Senator bites SUV' story," said Daniel Becker, Director of Sierra Club's Global Warming and Energy Program. "The level of support nears the level we need to sustain presidential action to raise the standards."

In addition to the 31 Senators who signed the letter, 12 more voted in the past to increase CAFE standards.

"The technology to improve gas mileage exists right now, but automakers have decided to leave it sitting on the shelf and their friends in Congress are working hard to help them keep it there," Mesnikoff added.

CAFE standards have been stagnant for nearly a decade, with cars at 27.5 miles per gallon, and SUVs and other light trucks lagging behind at 20.7 miles per gallon. The numbers of SUVs and other light trucks on the road has increased dramatically in the last 10 years, helping to drive up levels of carbon dioxide pollution. While a Ford Taurus emits about 120 tons of global warming pollution over its lifetime, a gas guzzling Ford Expedition will spew out more than 200 tons. Closing the fuel-economy law loophole that allows SUVs and other light trucks to pollute more than cars would slash U.S. carbon dioxide emissions by 240 million tons per year.

Senators signing the letter range from Fritz Hollings (D-SC) to Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Patty Murray (D-WA) to Jim Jeffords (R-VT).

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