Clean Cars Make for Smart Climate Action

by | Jul 14, 2021 | Featured, Instagram, News

Our nation has a history of advancing smart, win-win public policies when it comes to improving personal transportation. From seat belts and airbags to unleaded gas, we have come together many times to improve the automobile for individuals, communities, and the environment. These policies continue to save thousands of lives every year.

We now have an opportunity to advance another round of improvements with the clean car standards to boost vehicles’ fuel efficiency and reduce carbon pollution from tailpipes.

After the previous administration weakened the clean car standards, President Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a prime opportunity to protect climate, public health, and the economy by ensuring clean car standards are as strong as possible.

National IPL is helping lead an effort to deliver a letter to President Biden and EPA Administrator Michael Regan later this summer signed by religious leaders from around the country. The letter could close at any time but is still open today for additional signatures. Thank you to the Iowa leaders who have already signed onto this letter calling on the Biden administration to:

  • Restore national standards and revise them beyond levels set during the Obama-Biden administration;
  • Establish a 2030 standard for cars and light-duty trucks that achieves fleet average greenhouse gas emissions 60 percent or more below today’s average;
  • Put the nation on a trajectory to make all new cars and light-duty trucks zero-emission vehicles no later than 2035;
  • Ensure all new trucks and buses are zero-emission no later than 2040.

While consumers have some power in the marketplace, we also need to use smart government to keep improving our vehicle fleet. If we had left seatbelts, airbags, and unleaded gas only to the forces of personal buying habits, we would have developed these lifesaving innovations much more slowly. The same is true for fuel efficiency. We have the opportunity to put in place the most effective policy currently available to contribute to climate solutions.

Transportation is the largest source of climate pollution in the United States, and this summer we have a critical opportunity to support cleaner cars and reduce vehicle pollution in our communities.

The EPA, acting to make fuel efficiency standards as strong and far-reaching as possible, would be a win for the American people and all those looking to spur job creation, economic growth, family cost savings and public health protection at a time when we most need it.

We are preparing to help get media attention on why strong clean car standards are a moral opportunity. Stay tuned for how Iowans of faith and conscience can continue to participate this summer in advancing tough, smart, and effective standards for cleaner cars on American highways.

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