Clean Car Campaign Alert - June 3, 2003

Support Cleaner Cars For New Jersey

Summer is coming, and so is the usual summer smog. Car emissions are the number one source of unhealthy air pollution in New Jersey, which ranks 9th in the nation in the number of days violating air quality standards for smog-forming ozone. Despite this public health threat, including higher cancer risk and more asthma attacks, the New Jersey legislature has dragged its feet on the New Jersey Clean Cars Act, a bill requiring carmakers to produce cleaner cars for New Jersey. Time is running out to pass this bill. Legislative leaders must act on the Clean Cars Act by June 30th or it could be years before this program can be adopted in New Jersey. Take action! Send an urgent message to State Senate Co-President Richard Codey and Assembly Speaker Albio Sires urging them to pass the New Jersey Clean Cars Act by June 30th.

Air Pollution in New Jersey:
New Jersey has a serious air pollution problem, and cars are the number one cause, releasing 40% of all smog and 80% of air borne toxics, mostly carcinogens, found in the state's air. New Jersey ranks 9th in the nation in the number of days violating air quality standards for smog-forming ozone, and nearly 800,000 state residents suffer from air pollution-related illnesses, and many more are at risk, according to the American Lung Association. Every county in New Jersey violates U.S. EPA standards for smog and air toxics, increasing cancer risk and the number of asthma attacks in the state.

LEV II - Cleaner Vehicles In New Jersey
Under the federal Clean Air Act, states with serious air pollution from cars may adopt stronger emissions standards, set by California (California Low Emissions Vehicle Program - LEV II), as an alternative to federal emissions standards. New York, Massachusetts, MaineConnecticut and Vermont have already adopted LEV II, but New Jersey lags behind. Studies show that the LEV II program could reduce air toxics in New Jersey an additional 23% more than the federal program by 2020 and smog by an additional 19% by 2020.

How Does LEV II Work:
The LEV II program requires carmakers to meet an overall fleetwide emission standard that is 52% stronger for passenger cars and 38% stronger for SUVs and pick up trucks. It also requires 10% of the cars manufactured for sale in New Jersey to incorporate new, but as yet under-utilized technology, that can make cars much cleaner than conventional cars. Finally, starting in 2012, car manufacturers would be required to produce a small number of zero emissions cars for sale in the state. This small requirement would slowly increase, increasing the number of zero emission cars sold in the state over time, stabilizing at 5% of cars sold in 2018.

Car manufacturers are already selling these cleaner cars in the other states that have adopted the LEV II program. The New Jersey Clean Cars Act would require carmakers to increase their production of these cleaner cars for sale in New Jersey, as well.

Support For Clean Cars Act:
The New Jersey Clean Cars Act is sponsored by Senator Bennett (R), Senator Adler (D), Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D), Assemblyman Sean Kean (R) and Assemblyman Matt Ahearn (D). It has 49 Assembly co-sponsors (49/80) and 25 Senate co-sponsors (25/40) and has already passed substantive committees in both houses. The bill currently awaits floor votes in both houses. Not surprisingly, the auto industry is lobbying intensely to prevent a vote onagainst the bill.

Take Action
The bill has the support of a majority of the members and only a floor vote stands in the way. You can help us pass the New Jersey Clean Cars Act by e-mailing Speaker Albio Sires and Senate Co-President Richard Codey. Urge them to pass the bill by June 30th.

For More Information:
Read more about the New Jersey Clean Cars Act online.

For more information about cars and the environment, visit Environmental Defense online.

Read more about the Clean Car Campaign

Sample Letter:
Dear Senate Co-President Codey / Speaker Sires:

Please pass the New Jersey Clean Cars Act (S121/S2351/A409/A3393), which would reduce unhealthy air pollution from cars sold in New Jersey. The bill has languished since the 210th legislative session, but has recently cleared substantive committees in both houses and awaits a floor vote. Please act on this legislation quickly.

Air pollution in New Jersey's poses a risk to public health, and cars and trucks are the number one source of air pollution. The state's air quality will only worsen as car traffic continues to grow. New Jersey's air is already in gross violation of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards for ozone and air toxics. This increases our risk of cancer, triggers asthma attacks, and makes breathing difficult for an estimated 800,000 people living with respiratory illness.

The Clean Cars Act is the single most significant action that the New Jersey legislature can take to protect the health of New Jersey residents from unhealthy air pollution. While other states have already adopted the stronger emissions standards for cars provided by this bill, New Jersey lags behind.

Please post and pass the bill before the legislature breaks on June 30th. The bill has the support of a majority of the members and only a floor vote stands in the way.

Thank You
(your name and home address here)

The Clean Car Campaign is a project of the Ecology Center, a nonprofit organization.

email: info@cleancarcampaign.org