Today the Clean Cars Bill was introduced in the DC City Council by At-Large council member Phil Mendelson, Ward 6 council member Tommy Wells and Ward 3 council member Mary Cheh. The bill addresses automobile pollution that greatly contributes to global warming and human health problems such as asthma while also strengthening the current standards for automobile emissions that form smog and carcinogens like benzene.

DC Citizens for Climate Protection
Press Release

Contact: Claire Douglass 
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
301-891-6833, Claire@chesapeakeclimate.org

DC Council Introduces the Clean Car Bill
Supported in 11 other states, bill promises to reduce air and global warming pollution from cars

FEBRUARY 6, 2007–Today the Clean Cars Bill was introduced in the DC City Council by At-Large council member Phil Mendelson, Ward 6 council member Tommy Wells and Ward 3 council member Mary Cheh. The bill addresses automobile pollution that greatly contributes to global warming and human health problems such as asthma while also strengthening the current standards for automobile emissions that form smog and carcinogens like benzene. It also adds carbon dioxide – the leading cause of global warming – to the list of regulated automobile pollutants, and requires that a small percentage of new cars sold each year are advanced technology vehicles such as hybrids.

“Global warming and air pollution pose serious health problems for District of Columbia residents,” says Chris Weiss of Friends of the Earth. “The Clean Cars Bill is long overdue and addresses these issues by strengthening our tailpipe emissions standards”

Eleven other states have already adopted the Clean Cars Program and Maryland is poised to pass the bill this month with the full support of Governor Martin O’Malley. Gov. O’Malley is also predicted to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to regulate power plants, a move that environmentalists hope Mayor Adrian Fenty will also make.

Carmakers are currently gearing up to meet the stricter standards in 30 percent of this new car market. The Clean Cars Bill would require car manufactures to put advanced technology components in the new cars registered in DC starting in 2011.

“Global warming is one of the most significant challenges of our time and it’s exciting to see legislation in the nation’s capitol that will regulate carbon emissions in the transportation sector” says Elizabeth Martin-Perera of the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Hopefully DC will also move to regulate emissions from the power sector.”

“Passing the Clean Car bill is an important step in addressing global warming,” says Gary Skulnik of the Clean Energy Partnership. “It is exciting to see that both DC and Maryland are working in conjunction on global warming solutions.”

DC Citizens for Climate Protection

Friends of the Earth – Chris Weiss (202) 222-0746
Chesapeake Climate Action Network – Claire Douglass (301) 891-6833
Natural Resources Defense Council – Elizabeth Martin Perera (202) 289-2419