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 California Air Resources Board Approves Landmark Clean Cars Rulemaking Package
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) unanimously approved the Advanced Clean Cars package of regulations on January 26-27 in Los Angeles.
The new rules will clean up gasoline and diesel-powered cars, and deliver increasing numbers of zero-emission technologies, such as battery electric and plug-in hybrid cars. The package will also ensure adequate fueling infrastructure is available for the increasing numbers of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles planned for deployment in California.
The package contains four separate, but related components that would require: reductions in greenhouse gas and smog-forming emissions, more zero-emission vehicles, and fueling infrastructure for zero-emission vehicles .
The Campaign issued a press release in response to the board vote and had a hand in many news articles and op-eds, including the following:
- The Fresno Bee: "We Can All Do Our Part to Drive to Zero" - January 26, by Tom Cotter, Green Fresno.
- Los Angeles Daily News: "Other States Still Look to California to Lead the Way" - January 25, by Martin Lagod, Firelake Capital Management.
- Fox & Hounds Daily: "California Must Continue Leading the Country on Clean Cars" - January 25, by Dr. Alan Lloyd, Dr. Robert Sawyer, and Jan Sharpless, all former CARB Chairmen.
 Two newspaper ads also supported the board vote:
- In case you missed it, see the Campaign ad as it appeared in the Los Angeles Times and read the corresponding press release.
- In addition, Ceres*, with support from Small Business Majority*, Patagonia*, California Ski Industry Association*, Silicon Valley Leadership Group*, and Applied Materials*, placed an ad in the Los Angeles Times and issued a corresponding press release.
Thank You to Our Supporters!
Special thanks to our many Campaign Supporters who testified, submitted comment letters, notified their networks, and conducted other outreach in support of clean cars. We would not have been able to run a successful campaign without all your help. See a list of our Supporters here.
What's Next
Although the January CARB vote represents a major milestone for the California Clean Cars Campaign, our work is not finished. Over the coming year, as the regulations are finalized, we will call on your support as needed on activities such as the following:
- At the January hearing, the Air Board directed staff to make several amendments. These proposed amendments will be released in mid- to late-February. Several organizations will monitor these so-called "15-day changes" and may submit comments in response. The timing for response is short -- 15 days.
- California worked in conjunction with the U.S EPA and U.S. DOT to harmonize its proposed greenhouse gas standards with proposed federal rules. The federal agencies are scheduled to finalize their rules in August, and thereafter, California will take steps to accept compliance with the federal standards as compliance with its own GHG rules. This process will likely involve public feedback in the fall.
- We will work to ensure that the media reports the facts on the benefits of clean cars.
- The Clean Cars Campaign will continue to keep you updated on the latest news and will change our eNews distribution to a bi-monthly schedule.
If you have any questions, contact us at info@calcleancars.org.
* Campaign endorser |
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