Larisa Manescu, larisa.manescu@sierraclub.org
Four-State Ad Campaign Launches to Urge Senators to Vote Against Dangerous Attempt to Roll Back Progress
Washington, DC - Today, the Sierra Club launched a four-state digital ad campaign focused on seven Senators – Senators Kelly and Sinema of Arizona; Casey and Fetterman of Pennsylvania; Kaine and Warner of Virginia; and Tester of Montana – who have expressed criticism of the EPA’s recently finalized federal clean car standards.
The Senate is expected to soon vote on using the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the EPA standards—an effort led by Senate Republicans and Joe Manchin.
These standards are projected to prevent 7.2 billion tons of greenhouse gas pollution from being emitted into the atmosphere and drastically cut health-harming particle pollutants from car exhaust by 95 percent, averting thousands of premature deaths, and creating $13 billion in annual public health benefits.
For decades, the EPA has used its broad legal authority under the Clean Air Act to set standards to reduce vehicle pollution and improve public health. For this latest round of rulemaking, the EPA engaged in a years-long, multi-stakeholder, comprehensive rulemaking process and the final rule is responsive to feedback from stakeholders including automakers.
There is widespread support for the EPA standards including from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, Automakers, United Auto Workers, and other labor unions, and environmental, health, environmental justice, and consumer-focused organizations.
Ahead of the vote, Sierra Club Deputy Legislative Director Will Anderson released the following statement:
“The Sierra Club urges all Senators to protect their constituents from toxic vehicle pollution and support these clean car standards that will save families money and give car buyers more choice.
“The popular clean car standards are the latest common-sense action by the Environmental Protection Agency to tackle our nation’s most polluting sector – transportation – and they work. Trying to undo them is a dangerous attempt to roll back progress on climate, clean air, and cleaner cars that will benefit communities across the country.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of 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.