Action Alerts
Help Defend California's Zero-Emission Vehicle Program
July 20, 2000
You can help cut air pollution and our costly dependence on oil by supporting
California's Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program, which comes up for review by
the California Air Resources Board on September 7.
Motor vehicles cause the majority of California's air pollution and global warming
emissions. Transport and storage of oil and gas contaminate our drinking water
and lead to offshore oil spills. Gas-guzzling motor vehicles also waste more than
$20 billion a year at the gas pump.
Thanks to the ZEV program, which was first adopted in 1990, there are alternatives.
The ZEV program is the only program in the country that requires carmakers to
develop pollution- and gasoline-free motor vehicles such as battery electrics
and fuel cell vehicles. The program can also take credit for bringing hybrid gasoline-electric
vehicles to market.
But just as ZEVs are beginning to hit the market, the car companies are trying
to kill the ZEV program. They have fought the program every step of the way, just
as they did with seat belts and air bags. We need to show that the public stands
behind the program and wants to move toward zero-emission vehicles.
You can show your support by contacting Governor Davis and asking him to strengthen
the ZEV program when it comes up for review in September. Let him know that backsliding
is not acceptable and that California needs ZEVs now. By following the instructions
below, you can send a fax directly to the governor's office. Or, you can call
him at 916-445-2841 or write him at 1st Floor, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814.
A sample letter follows. Please modify it to best reflect your support.
For more information about the ZEV program, click on http://www.zevnow.org or
contact Michael Pancook at the Union of Concerned Scientists (mpancook@ucsusa.org).
This message was sent to you by the Clean Car Campaign - a national initiative
to lead the automotive industry to produce significantly cleaner vehicles. The
Campaign is jointly managed by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy,
the Ecology Center, Environmental Defense, Great Lakes United, the Michigan Environmental
Council, and Union of Concerned Scientists. For more information about the Campaign,
please visit our website at: http://www.cleancarcampaign.org
Thank you for your help.
Instructions To Respond Via The Web:
If you have access to a web browser, you can send the targets of this action a
free fax and sign the Clean Car Pledge (if you haven't already) by going to the
Environmental
Defense Member Action Site: http://actionnetwork.org/add.tcl?domain=Clean%5fCar
You will be required to log-in and establish a password prior to taking the
action. However, if you've already taken the Clean Car Pledge, just type your
email address in the form and hit submit. We strongly encourage you to make edits
directly to our sample letter (shown below), prior to sending your letter.
Sample Letter
Dear Governor Davis,
I am writing to urge you to support California's Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program.
The program is critical to reduce California's air pollution, global warming emissions
and costly dependence on foreign oil.
Motor vehicles cause the majority of California's air pollution, not only from
tailpipe emissions, but from oil refinery emissions and evaporation during the
transport, refueling and storage of gasoline. Gasoline contaminates our water
supplies and puts the state's coastline at risk of oil spills. Motor vehicles
also cause more than half of California's global warming emissions.
In addition, gas-guzzling motor vehicles will cost consumers more than $20 billion
this year at the gas pump and more in future years as oil prices continue to increase.
California needs a strong ZEV program to move the state away from its costly and
harmful dependence on oil. The ZEV program can take credit for bringing battery
electrics and hybrids to market, and fuel cells are not far behind. Continuing
a strong ZEV program will encourage the automakers to continue to develop cleaner,
advanced technologies and put those vehicles on the road.
For all these reasons, I strongly urge you to maintain and strengthen the ZEV
program.
Sincerely,
