> Sierrans I thought you might be interested in this one. Lyle > --------------------------- cc:Mail Users----------------------------- > ** Remember to DELETE the 'Sender: ...' lines above before REPLYing ** > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > Friends, > > Here is an activist update re: LEV II adoption in New Mexico. > > -Dan > > ACTIVIST UPDATE: NM CLEAN CARS STANDARDS > > November 28, 2007 > > > > Just after midnight last night both the Environmental Improvement > Board (EIB) and the Albuquerque Bernalillo Air Quality Control > Board responded to public support and technical testimony by > adopting California’s Low Emission Vehicle LEV II auto emission > standards for cars, SUVs and light trucks. New Mexico is the > thirteenth state to adopt these tougher new car emission standards. > > Representing the auto industry was the Automobile Manufacturers > Alliance who, as in the other clean car states, argued that the > standard was too difficult to meet. That they were already > complying successfully in the other LEV II states tended to weaken > many of their arguments. Others who opposed the new standards > included the NM Automobile Dealers Assoc., NM Farm and Livestock > Bureau and the NM Cattle Growers Assoc. These groups contended the > regulations could hurt their respective industries. > > Supporting these tougher but very do-able tailpipe emissions > standards was the Rio Grande Chapter partnering with a coalition of > public health, faith based and conservation groups. National > Sierra Club Attorney, David Bookbinder, lead a panel of coalition > witnesses and cross-examined auto industry testimony. We were also > represented with supporting testimony from the Chapter by Norma > McCallan, The Northern Group by Dexter Cooledge and Eva Thaddeus > for the Central Group. Additionally, other Sierra Club members, > Chapter staff, students, health professionals and religious leaders > all went on record supporting adoption of the new rule. > > Responding to the recommendations of the Climate Change Advisory > Group (CCAG), Governor Richardson directed the Air Quality Bureau > of the Environment Department to implement the process of public > notice and hearings before the two boards with the authority to > choose the California tailpipe emission standards over the weaker > federal standards that we have been using. The Clean Air Act gives > every state that choice. > > Only new cars that meet the LEV II standards will be sold in New > Mexico starting with model year 2011. These regulations will not > affect any vehicles on the road today. The other Clean Cars States > are California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New > Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and > Washington. Other states considering adoption include Arizona, > Colorado, Illinois, New Hampshire and North Carolina. > > The Automobile Manufacturers Alliance has threatened to file suit > against New Mexico in federal court (as they have in four other > states). Additionally, in an effort to wrest control of this > Administrative prerogative and place that control with the > Legislature, four legislators (George Hanosh, John Arthur Smith, > Timothy Jennings and Jim Trujillo) have filed suit in a Las Cruces > District Court seeking injunctive action against the EIB and > challenging their authority to adopt the standards. The state is > confident that it does have the required authority. > > Our 7,000 members can celebrate both a healthier, less smoggy air > quality future and a significant reduction in New Mexico’s CO2 > contribution to global climate change. This is a big step towards > responsible reaction to climate change by New Mexicans. Thank you > Rio Grande Chapter Activists! To find out more, please contact Dan > Lorimier, Chapter Conservation Coordinator, at 575-740-2927. > > > Dan Lorimier > Sierra Club, Rio Grande Chapter > Conservation Coordinator > 505-740-2927 > [log in to unmask] > > > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To > unsubsribe from the CONS-FRED list, send any message to: CONS-FRED- > [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists > support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/ > faq.asp ____________________________________________ Lyle Krewson Professional Lobbying Services 1725 S. 50th Street #602 West Des Moines, IA 50265 [log in to unmask] 515-238-7113 - Cel ____________________________________________ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp