City of Ann Arbor First Municipality to Endorse Clean Car Campaign
Contact: Charles Griffith, 734-663-2400, ext. 116, or charlesg@ecocenter.org
August 22, 2000
ANN ARBOR -- The Ann Arbor City Council joined environmental advocates in challenging
automakers to produce more environmentally friendly automobiles when it unanimously
endorsed the goals of the national Clean Car Campaign this week. The City joins
tens of thousands of individuals and over 50 organizations that have taken the
Clean Car Pledge, which seeks greener vehicle choices in the North American marketplace.
"The City of Ann Arbor realizes that unless consumers express a strong interest
in purchasing cleaner vehicles, U.S. automakers will continue to move cautiously
in bringing these proven, new technologies to market," said Heidi Herrell, Ann
Arbor Council member. "We're trying to send the message that we want clean and
efficient vehicles sooner, not later."
The Clean Car Campaign has developed a Standard for new vehicles which establishes
criteria for fuel economy, emissions and clean manufacturing, based on the best
technology available today. These criteria are meant to compliment other important
values of practicality, affordability and safety, and include:
- Fuel economy - 1.5 times the fleet average for that vehicle's class
- Tailpipe emissions - meeting California's stringent SULEV emissions standards
- Clean manufacturing - including best-in-class painting/coating, elimination
of substances of concern, and design for recyclability/recycled content.
The City also plans to develop a comprehensive "Green Fleets Policy" within the
next 9 months to guide its own vehicle purchasing and fleet operation to minimize
environmental impacts. The policy will also include measures to reduce vehicle
use and promote alternative transportation modes.
"This is a great opportunity for the City to both send a strong message and commit
to specific actions it will take to reduce its own impact on the environment,"
said Charles Griffith, Auto Project Director at the Ecology Center and a coordinator
for the national Clean Car Campaign. "We encourage all communities to take action
to reduce the impact of its vehicle fleet."
