North American Vehicle Fleet Gets Greener

States that Adopted California LEV Standards, plus Canada. 40% of North America's Auto Sales market States considering tougher standards States with executive orders in place

Once again, California’s leadership on clean cars policy is having a significant ripple effect, bringing cleaner vehicles to consumers across North America. The states shown on the map in dark green have adopted California vehicle emission standards. Other states, shown in lighter green, are actively considering similar proposals. To learn more about activities in other states go to the Clean Cars Campaign website.

A scientific panel of the National Academies of Science has reaffirmed California’s pioneering role in setting technology—forcing air quality standards based on comprehensive technical analysis. The report, released March 16, 2006, says the state’s leading role is necessary to achieve healthy air and allows California to continue to be a proving ground for new technologies that benefit the state and the rest of the nation.

• Environmental Groups’ News Release

• NAS Report Summary

But the auto industry is mirroring its California legal strategy in several states that have adopted California’s clean car standards. Lawsuits have been filed in New York, Oregon, Maine, Vermont and Rhode Island. Read the complaints.

In spring 2005, Canada signed agreements with automakers to deliver global warming emission reductions comparable to those required by California. Together, Canada and the states that have adopted California’s standards comprise about one-third of the North American auto sales market. The Canadian agreement calls for annual greenhouse gas tailpipe emissions to drop by 5.3 million metric tons by 2010 — a nearly 6 percent reduction in the total amount of global warming pollution that is projected from all vehicles in Canada that year. This translates to an estimated 25 percent reduction in emissions from new vehicles in 2010, comparable to California’s vehicle global warming standards.

The auto industry and its allies are also waging a legislative battle in Pennsylvania attempting to kill the state’s existing clean vehicles program. Pennsylvania’s Clean Air Council has responded with a new Flash movie called “The AAA Monkeys” that rips into the automobile club AAA for its opposition to the state’s clean vehicles program.

• Canada’s Memorandum of Agreement with Automakers

• Clean Cars for Oregon

• Washington’s House Bill 1397

• Maine’s Governor Baldacci Signs Cleaner Car Law

Learn about the critical role states play in cleaning up pollution from mobile sources in a May 2005 report from U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG):

• Power to Protect

Learn more about various state efforts through the local chapters of PIRG and other organizations:

• Connecticut
  
  
• Maine
  

  Environment Maine Research & Policy Center Releases Cars and Global Warming Report 12/01/04

• Maryland
  
  
• Massachusetts
  
  
• New Jersey
  
  
• North Carolina
  
  
• Oregon
  

  OSPIRG Report, “Cars and Global Warming: How the Clean Cars Program Curbs Global Warming Pollution in Oregon” 10/4/05

• Pennsylvania
  
  
• Rhode Island
  
  
• Washington