Utah Democratic Party congratulates Obama on Agreement
POST: Utah Democratic Party congratulates Obama on Agreement
| Topics: |  Caucuses, County Parties |
PRESS RELEASE
Utah State Democratic Committee
455 South 300 East Suite 301
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
Tel: 801/328-1212
Fax: 801/328-1238
For Immediate Release
Date: May 19, 2009
Utah Democratic Party congratulates Obama on Agreement
Agreement with Auto Execs, Others on Fuel and Emissions Standards to Help Air Quality along Wasatch Front
Salt Lake City, Utah – Today, the Obama Administration announced a new national standard for fuel efficiency for cars and light trucks and the first ever greenhouse gas pollution standards for cars. The new standard will set a limit for both tailpipe emissions and fuel economy requirements. The new rule will resolve an on-going conflict between state governments and the auto industry – who have been locked in a costly legal battle over states’ efforts to adopt more stringent standards than the current federal standards – by creating more protective requirements and setting a reliable and achievable timeline on which the new national standard will be implemented.
By 2016, the American fleet of cars and light trucks will be almost 40 percent cleaner and more fuel-efficient than it is today, with an average of 35 miles per gallon. The new rules, which will be written jointly by the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency, will begin in model year 2012. The program is projected to save 1.8 billion barrels of oil and will achieve greenhouse gas reductions equivalent of taking 177 million cars off the road.
Utah Democratic Party Chair Wayne Holland issued the following statement after the announcement at the White House:
Utah voters have little patience for ideological debate. They want a pragmatic leader who works with all the stakeholders to achieve goals that we hold in common instead of getting lost in the things that divide us. They want action like we saw today with foreign and domestic auto industry executives, state governors and other officials joining President Obama today to announce a new national standard that for the first time ever combines fuel efficiency requirements with limits on greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.
As Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE) has pointed out medical research in the last ten years indicates air pollution is a more serious public health problem than previously thought. SaltLake, Provo and Logan consistently rank in the top ten cities in the United States for the worst acute spikes in air pollution. Air pollution causes many serious illnesses, aggravates many others, and shortens the life span of Wasatch Front residents about two years. And, four to eight percent of all deaths are attributable to air pollution (about 1,000 premature deaths along the Wasatch Front annually). Because of this new program announced by President Obama, by 2016, the American fleet will be remarkably cleaner and more efficient. The Obama Administration’s new plan will go a long way toward reducing our dependence on foreign oil, lowering energy costs for Utah families at the pump, and reducing harmful air pollution and global warming emissions from our cars’ tailpipes. The American auto industry is fighting for survival. Today’s announcement marks an historic agreement between the Administration, the states and the very companies who once vehemently opposed increases in fuel efficiency and downplayed or flat-out ignored the danger of greenhouse gas emissions. The last federal administration failed to take any significant action to address climate change or to even identify carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions as dangerous, leaving it to local leaders like Utah Moms for Clean Air and Governor Huntsman to address the issue locally – but, alas, inadequately. National action was needed. This new standard represents a strong, and critical, change in public policy. These actions are literally a breath of fresh air for our citizens; for the auto industry by creating a strong, reliable market for fuel efficient cars; for technological innovation; and, as gas prices rise, greater fuel efficiency that will save Utahns money at the pump. In this single action, President Obama has reiterated his commitment to addressing the climate crisis, enhancing air quality, and reviving America’s auto industry. We have a long way to go to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, halt the deleterious effects of polluted air, and fully restore the American auto industry. But today’s announcement is an important step forward. For the second time in as many weeks, today’s news – as was the historic agreement reached between the Administration and industry leaders last week on health care costs – is a testament to President Obama’s visionary leadership and his outstanding ability to bring people together to develop pragmatic solutions to address our most serious challenges.
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