Clean Car Standards

Clean Car Standards Go National

 On April 1, 2010, the clean car standards originally adopted by California to slash greenhouse gas emissions, improve vehicle fuel economy, and save consumers money at the pump finally went national with adoption of a federal rule by the US EPA. OEC applauds the EPA for this historic move to protect our environment and our economy.

14 States -- Including Oregon -- Led the Way

Under the federal Clean Air Act, California is allowed to adopt more stringent pollution controls than federal regulations; in 2002 California adopted the first law in the U.S. that limits global warming pollution from tailpipes. 13 other states followed suit -- Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington -- representing approximately one quarter of the U.S. vehicle fleet.

In Oregon, OEC coordinated the coalition effort to adopt the clean car standards, comprised of more than 100 businesses and organizations, along with countless citizens. Together, the Clean Cars for Oregon coalition ensured adoption of the clean car standards June 2006.

Speed Bumps Along the Way

The road to clean car standards was a bumpy one, marked by vigorous opposition from both the auto industry and the Bush Administration and punctuated by lawsuits brought forward by California and car companies alike, as well as a congressional hearing into the Bush Administration’s initial denial in 2005 of California’s request.

In April 2007 the effort took a new turn. The Supreme Court, in the landmark case Massachusetts v. EPA, ruled that greenhouse gas emissions qualify as pollutants under the Clean Air Act and that therefore EPA has the authority to regulate those emissions. Since at that time EPA had yet to impose any form of limitations on emissions, vehicle or otherwise, the importance of pursuing state-driven standards became even more important in the fight to slow global warming.

After EPA denied the waiver request, California filed a lawsuit in  2008 to reverse the agency’s decision. California was joined by the 13 other “clean car” states, along with several other states who were considering adopting the standards. Environmental stakeholders intervened in the case, including OEC and other members of the Clean Cars for Oregon coalition, to secure states’ rights to reduce global warming pollution.

In June 2009 the US Environmental Protection Agency at long last approved California’s request for a waiver that would allow it to implement tailpipe emissions standards for new cars and light trucks.

How Clean Car Standards Benefit Oregon

By adopting the “clean car standards," the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission ensured that all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in our state will be cleaner-burning, more climate-friendly and more fuel-efficient, starting with the 2009 model year.

Clean cars protect our health and curb global warming.

Clean car standards reduce dangerous auto emissions that aggravate asthma and contribute to other lung diseases, cancer and heart disease. They will also cut global warming pollution from new cars by an average of 30% by 2016.

Clean cars make our nation more secure.

Oil dependence is a matter of national security that also threatens our economy. With clean car standards we’ll put American car manufacturers to work building a whole new generation of cars that sip, rather than guzzle, oil.

Clean cars save car owners money and increase consumer choice.

Because clean cars use less fuel, they save drivers money at the gas pump. The states that have enacted clean car standards have the same SUVs, light trucks and passenger cars that other states have, only with better pollution control technology.

How OEC Promoted the Clean Car Standards

Besides coordinating the Clean Cars for Oregon coalition, which led to Oregon's adoption of the standards, OEC also ensured that two important pieces of legislation were passed by the 2007 Oregon Legislature to implement the clean car standards: 1) funding for our Department of Environmental Quality to implement the standards and 2) a bill ensuring that DMV has the authority to deny registration to new vehicles that do not meet the standards.