Larisa Manescu, larisa.manescu@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, following Donald Trump’s defeat three weeks ago, General Motors withdrew its support for the Trump administration's attack on California's clean car standards after a year of pressure from environmental, clean air, consumer and faith advocates.
Most recently, more than a quarter of a million Americans -- including tens of thousands of Sierra Club supporters -- told the CEOs of major automakers General Motors, Toyota, and Fiat-Chrysler to abandon their support for the Trump administration’s rollback of national and state clean car standards, which will cost Americans $300 billion at the pump, increase climate pollution, and harm lung health.
Recently, E&E News published the findings of a monthslong investigation that found that major US automakers GM and Ford Motor Company knew emissions from automobiles contributed to climate change as early as the 1960s and in the decades to follow, spread misinformation and lobbied nationally and globally against climate policies.
In response to the announcement, Katherine Garcia, Deputy Director of National Policies for Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign, released the following statement:
"Today’s announcement represents the immense power of public accountability. We applaud the hundreds of thousands of activists across the country whose tireless efforts to pressure polluting automakers led to General Motors’ announcement. The work of these activists will protect the health, safety, and pocketbooks of American families and ensure that communities across the nation can breathe cleaner air. We demand that Toyota and Fiat-Chrysler follow suit and withdraw from the Trump Administration’s attack.”
Background of significance of California’s authority:
The first part of the clean cars rollback revoked the waiver that allows California to adopt and enforce stronger greenhouse gas emissions standards on new cars and light trucks than the federal government’s and also allows the state to require auto manufacturers to sell increasing numbers of electric vehicles in the state.
EPA’s revocation of California’s waiver has wide-reaching implications - it also affects the population in 14 states plus D.C. that have adopted these stronger restrictions on pollution from cars, and over 11 states that have adopted the Zero Emission Vehicle standards. The clean car standards protect the environment and the public health of more than 118 million people, upwards of 40 percent of the U.S. population.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.