Senator Feinstein Calls for President Clinton's Help to Make New Vehicles More Fuel Efficient
May 27, 1999

Washington, DC – In an effort to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and 30 other senators urged President Clinton today to strengthen the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to improve gas mileage of new vehicles.

“By raising fuel efficiency standards, we could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 240 million tons per year,” Senator Feinstein said. “This will help curb global warming, improve air quality, save consumers at the gas pump, and reduce our reliance on imported oil.”

Improved CAFE standards would:

• slash carbon dioxide pollution;
• improve fuel economy;
• reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil; and
• save light truck owners thousands of dollars in fuel costs over the life of their vehicles.”

Due to the popularity of sport utility vehicles and light trucks, which now comprise 50% of all new cars sold in America, the average fuel economy of all new passenger vehicles is at its lowest point since 1980.

Also, CAFE standards have not been changed in nearly a decade and are not as strict for trucks as they are for automobiles.

Since 1995, amendments to the Transportation Appropriations legislation have prevented the Department of Transportation from creating new gas mileage standards for new automobiles and trucks.

In the letter, drafted by Senators Feinstein, Slade Gorton (R-WA) and Richard Bryan (D-NV) and signed by 28 others, President Clinton is asked to fight against the inclusion of a similar amendment to any bills this year.

“New CAFE standards would be good for consumers, who will save thousands of dollars at the gas pump, and for the U.S. economy,” Senator Feinstein said, noting that the 17 million barrels a day of oil consumed in the United States daily greatly contributes to the $50 billion merchandise trade deficit.

Additionally, a study by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy estimates that increasing the CAFE standards would result in a net increase of 244,000 jobs, including 47,000 in the auto industry.

Improved standards would also reduce the amount of cancer-causing hydrocarbons in the air as well as carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming.

"Cars and light trucks, including sport utility vehicles, are responsible for 20 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions, which are the leading cause of global warming,” Senator Feinstein said. “U.S. vehicles emit more carbon dioxide than all sources in Great Britain combined. I believe strongly that global warming is not a problem we can afford to ignore or dismiss. Strengthening the CAFE standards is one of the easiest, most important steps we can take to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and fight global warming."