New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson Praises President Obama’s New Clean Car and Fuel Efficiency Standards

New Mexico was an early leader to adopt Clean Car Standards, Federal Efforts Build on State’s

May 19, 2009 -- SANTA FE – New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson applauded President Obama’s new national fuel efficiency and clean car standards, announced today, that build on regulations New Mexico adopted in 2007. The standards will reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil and help combat global warming. It’s estimated the new standards will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 900 million metric tons over the lifetime of the program, equivalent to taking 177 million cars off the road or 194 coal-fired power plants out of commission.

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"President Obama's new fuel efficiency and tailpipe emission standards are a great victory for our state because New Mexico’s clean car rules now become a national effort," Governor Richardson said. "The standards mean cleaner air and reduced global warming pollution, while preserving consumers’ choices of vehicles and helping the American auto industry become more globally competitive. President Obama’s bold announcement underscores the early leadership that states like New Mexico showed in pushing auto manufacturers to provide cleaner vehicles."

"Clean car standards are an effective weapon in the arsenal in addressing global warming,” said New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry. “The new federal standards parallel the clean cars rules New Mexico passed last year and complement what New Mexico has been leading on and fighting for from the beginning.”

Adoption of clean car standards was the most cost-effective greenhouse gas reduction measure recommended by Governor Richardson’s Climate Change Advisory Group in its December 2006 report (available at http://www.nmclimatechange.us/).

Source: New Mexico Governor