States are taking up the environmental slack from the federal government. Eleven states, including California, have passed laws restricting carbon dioxide emissions in vehicles. Not surprisingly, auto manufacturers are freaking out. Actually, they're doing more than freaking out -- they're filing suit.The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers:
Washington, DC -- The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers today announced that it has joined a group of automobile dealers in California's Central Valley to challenge regulation of motor vehicle fuel economy under California's greenhouse gas law.
"Federal law is designed to ensure a consistent fuel economy program across the country," said Fred Webber, president & CEO, Alliance. "There's a better way to improve fuel economy than this regulation, such as providing consumer tax incentives for the purchase of our new advanced technology vehicles."
Among the reasons that the AAM finds these new regulations so unworkable:
Under the greenhouse gas regulation, all Californians purchasing a new vehicle would pay significantly more than consumers in other states. When all costs are considered, not just those costs selected by regulators, Californians would pay an average of $3,000 more for a new automobile and would never recoup those extra, up-front dollars through savings at the gas pump.
We'll get to other reasons why that's BS in a sec. But their press release contradicts this statement by saying, "Carbon dioxide and fuel economy are synonymous. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency measures carbon dioxide to determine the fuel efficiency labels on new vehicles." So more fuel efficient vehicles won't pay back at the pump?
But here's the fun part -- someone made a vehicle that meets the standards. The modifications cost $300 and returns $1,300 in savings. Meet the UCS Vanguard...
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Tags: news | politics | science | global warming corporations | propaganda | bullshit | Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers | Union of Concerned Scientists
