Roadside Assistance, Insurance & Travel | News

BETTER WORLD CLUB TESTIFIES FOR GREENHOUSE REGS OF AUTOMOBILES

AUTO INDUSTRY SAYS MARKETPLACE IS EFFECTIVE AND SHOULD DECIDE

BETTER WORLD CLUB AGREES MARKETPLACE IS EFFECTIVE: WHEN POLLUTION IS FREE, MARKETPLACE GIVES US MORE POLLUTION

Joining the Union of Concerned Scientists, the National Lung Association, the Bonneville Foundation, and numerous climate experts, Better World Club testified in support of legislation requiring the state of Oregon to follow California’s lead and regulate the greenhouse gas emissions of automobiles at a state Senate hearing in March. California has adopted tough rules (see Kicking Asphalt July 2004) to limit the greenhouse gas emissions of automobiles starting in 2009 (with Governor Schwarzenegger’s support). Similar legislation has also been adopted by one house of the Washington State legislature. The Oregon legislation would require automakers to cut by roughly 30 percent the greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks sold in the state by the 2016 model year.

Meanwhile Toyota, General Motors and seven other automakers have filed suit to block California's new greenhouse gas regulation, which was approved by the state in its final form in September. The industry is suing in federal court in Fresno, Calif., contending that California's regulation is pre-empted by Washington's authority to regulate fuel economy. Greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks are a function of fuel economy.

The auto manufactures also opposed the Oregon legislation. One representative of the industry went so far to say that he felt that no regulation was necessary, “The incentive is the marketplace itself….I think all the manufacturers have programs for the hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, hybrid vehicles The marketplace is driving that to a certain extent.”

Well, the marketplace is driving it to the extent that there is a demand from conscious consumers for hybrid cars. But the marketplace isn’t perfect. If pollution is free, then, unregulated, the marketplace produces more of it. And if consumers lack information, then they can’t make the most efficient marketplace decisions. Mitch Rofsky, Better World Club President, asked the legislature to adopt California’s law—and also asked the state do what it could to require greenhouse gas stickers on cars similar to fuel economy stickers.

FULL TESTIMONY OF MITCHELL ROFSKY
PRESIDENT
BETTER WORLD CLUB
March 25, 2005

Better World Club provides roadside assistance to over 12,000 members across the United States, including in Oregon. I am here to urge you to support legislation, which, as I understand it, mirrors the The Pavley Act in California. The Pavley Act was groundbreaking, with California assuming the lead in regulating the relationship between automobiles and global warming. Passenger cars and light trucks represent the largest source of global warming pollution in California, accounting for approximately 40 percent of the state’s emissions. While I wish that California was picking up on Oregon’s lead, rather than vice versa, I believe it’s critical to continue to put pressure on automakers to produce cleaner cars to address this problem.

A few months ago, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) staff issued a “Staff Proposal Regarding the Maximum Feasible and Cost-Effective Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Motor Vehicles.” Without reviewing the substantial impact these regulations would have on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the agency recognizes that reductions can save California vehicle owners and operators money over the life of the vehicle through reductions in vehicle operating costs. The draft rejects the false concept that environmental protection is costly or anti-job.

We could list all the different ways that climate warming will harm Oregon’s environment as well as the health of its citizens. The environmental groups can provide you with more detail on this. For us, the specific calibration of harm is less important than this: business should not use our sky and waterways as free public toilets. Nor should they produce products that do so. Your efforts say to the auto industry regarding greenhouse gas emissions: if you make the mess, you should clean it up.

California has adopted cutting-edge regulations for the reduction of global warming pollution produced by passenger vehicles. Washington is considering the same.

Of course, this proposal is not the end-all for auto regulation. We would like you to consider additional steps to further your goals.

We would also like you to consider the establishment of greenhouse gas targets for all transportation fuels sold in California.

Finally, we would like you to consider regulations that would require all passenger vehicles to disclose the amount of greenhouse gas emissions on a vehicle window sticker, similarly to how fuel economy is disclosed. This would enable informed consumers to make more intelligent vehicle choices. We don’t see why such disclosure should have to be delayed to 2009. Thanks for your attention.