Statement of Environmental Defense on U.S. Senate CAFE Vote

(13 March 2002 — Washington) Environmental Defense today issued the following statement in reaction to a vote by the U.S. Senate on Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards.

“Members of the U.S. Senate who supported the Levin-Bond-Stabenow amendment cannot claim to have done anything today to address fuel efficiency, energy security, or the needs of the environment. This was a vote for dependence on unstable sources of oil and increased global warming pollution. And it continues a pattern in Congress of seeking to stop any progress on achieving real fuel savings,” said Environmental Defense senior fellow John DeCicco.

“The Department of Transportation (DOT) has long had the regulatory authority to raise fuel economy standards, particularly for sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and other light trucks. However, DOT has generally alternated between “rubber stamping” assertions that automakers were doing everything they could to improve gas mileage, and doing even less because of Congressional restrictions. The Levin-Bond-Stabenow amendment, backed by members of both parties and the Bush Administration, was designed to continue this do-nothing approach. America deserves better.

“The need for energy security is even clearer today than it was during the oil crises of the 1970s. Given the all too real security threats the nation faces due to unchecked oil dependence, and the growing problem of global warming, the Senate vote represents a shameful shirking of responsibility to the American public.

“With both houses now opting for a do-nothing approach, it falls to the Administration to demonstrate that it can and will address this critical issue in a meaningful way.