Local elected officials across the country demand automakers make cleaner cars

Mayors, state representatives and city council members demand action to clean the air and fight climate change ahead of Paris Agreement departure

Washington, DC - From Florida to Oregon, more than 200 elected officials are demanding that automakers do the right thing and drop their support for the Trump Administration’s dangerous rollback of national and state clean car standards, which will increase the lung-damaging tailpipe pollution that is driving the climate crisis. 

“Cities are on the frontlines of the climate crisis,” said the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mayor Jacob Frey. “It’s our residents who are increasingly shouldering the consequences of inaction at the federal level. It’s on us as elected leaders to step up and act – that includes standing with the scientific community and pushing back on the Administration’s decision to roll back fuel efficiency standards.”

By signing the Clean Cars Declaration, these officials joined more than 285,000 of their constituents in calling on General Motors, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler to make cleaner cars that would save consumers billions of dollars at the pump. With the imminent departure of the United States from the Paris Agreement, it’s up to local governments and representatives to step up and demand accountability on climate and clean air. 

“The Trump Administration’s decision to roll back clean car standards is a serious threat to the wellbeing of our communities,” said the City of Tucson, Arizona, Mayor Regina Romero. “Polluted air is one of the negative effects we are already experiencing as a result of the roll back. The fact that cars and trucks are the one of the main sources of climate pollution means automakers have the ability and responsibility to help combat the current climate crisis.”

Consumer Reports research finds that the rollback of national clean car standards will cost consumers $300 billion. Recent polls from the Union of Concerned Scientists confirm that GM and Toyota owners want the automakers to support clean car standards. And, major investors with almost two trillion dollars in managed assets see the rollback as bad for business. The automotive industry is split, with Ford, Honda, Volkswagen, BMW and Volvo choosing to support stronger state clean car standards.

"Requiring auto manufacturers to create cleaner, more efficient vehicles is an easy and important way to save drivers money at the pump and improve public health by reducing air pollution, which we know is more likely to harm communities of color,” said City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mayor Jim Kenney. “Any effort to roll back clean car standards would be foolish and I stand with other leaders in calling for standards that protect public health."

As several lawsuits move forward to undo the clean cars rollbacks, the Clean Cars Declaration will remain open for local elected officials to sign on and call out automakers that continue to side with the Trump Administration and demand cleaner cars that will save their communities money and cut harmful climate warming pollution.

“Clean car standards are the U.S.’s greatest effort to date to reduce climate pollution,” said the City of Flagstaff, Arizona, Mayor Coral J. Evans. “These standards are critical for our collective future globally, nationally and locally. Here in Flagstaff, Arizona, community members brought forward a petition to declare a climate emergency, resulting in the City Council establishing a goal for climate neutrality by the year 2030. To achieve this goal Flagstaff must make great strides in reducing emissions in both the energy and transportation sectors. Clean car standards are critical to our local success.”

“Clean cars standards are important to protecting our communities from air pollution and are essential to protecting our health,” said the City of Coral Gables, Florida, Mayor Raúl Valdés-Fauli.

"City of Asheville is excited to take part in the Clean Cars Declaration,” said the City of Asheville, Colorado, Mayor Esther Manheimer. “As the city we have committed to having a clean fleet including electric buses which helps reduce emissions by 54 tons per year per bus."

MEDIA CONTACT: Christina Heartquist, christina@sunstonestrategies.org, 408-661-2666