Press Release
BOND TELLS LOCAL AUTO-WORKERS THAT NEW FUEL STANDARDS WILL KILL
JOBS
Contact: Ernie Blazar
202.224.7627 Shana Stribling 202.224.0309 Tuesday, February 19,
2002
ST. LOUIS - Senator Kit Bond today warned local General Motors
auto workers that they may lose their jobs if Congress adopts a new
fuel standard for cars
“If this proposed legislation becomes law, it will basically
eliminate the minivan, Sport Utility Vehicle and light trucks in
this country -- and that means it will eliminate your jobs,” said
Bond, a Senate leader on this issue who believes we can protect the
environment and jobs at the same time.
Bond made his remarks at the General Motors plant in Wentzville,
Missouri. That 3.2 million square foot facility makes full-size
passenger vans and employs 189 salaried and 2,382 hourly workers.
This plant opened in 1981 and produced 121,818 Chevrolet Express
vans and 51,403 GMC Savana vans in 1999.
The proposed new law would change the fuel efficiency standard
for American automobiles. It is known as “CAFÉ” - for Corporate
Average Fuel Efficiency standard. The Energy Policy and Conservation
Act (EPCA) directs the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) to set fuel economy standards at the “maximum
feasible” level. This process is intended to consider key elements
such as technological feasibility, cost, safety, emissions controls,
consumer choice and effects on American jobs. Unfortunately, some
Senators want legislation that fails to balance these important
issues.
In response, Bond is working with other Senators like Carl Levin
(D-Michigan) , to write more sensible legislation. American auto
companies also want to increase fuel efficiency by building and
selling advanced technology vehicles. Though there are more than 50
car models with fuel economy ratings above 30 miles per gallon, few
consumers buy these models. Advanced technology vehicles, including
hybrid-electric, fuel cell and diesel lean burn vehicles, offer the
promise of significant increases in fuel efficiency without
sacrificing consumer demands for safety, performance, comfort and
utility.
Bond also believes Congress should provide consumer tax credits
that encourage the purchase of new types of highly fuel-efficient
advanced technology vehicles. Bond also supports the use of
clean-burning renewable fuel sources like corn-based ethanol and
soy-based bio-diesel fuel.
Customers may be reluctant to pay the initially higher costs of
new technology, so consumer tax incentives would help accelerate the
introduction of advanced technology vehicles into the marketplace.
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