Please protect the EPA

March 11, 2011

Re: Please Oppose HR 910, A Bill That Would Prohibit EPA from Addressing Climate Change

Dear Representative:

The House is currently considering HR 910, a draconian bill that would permanently prohibit EPA from addressing carbon pollution and climate change. We urge you to oppose that bill vigorously and to persuade your colleagues neither to co-sponsor nor to vote for the bill. HR 910 is sweeping and deceptive:

• It amends the term “pollutant” in the Clean Air Act to exclude “greenhouse gases,” which is defined more broadly than the Environmental Protection Agency does.

• It claims to preserve fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks, but in fact undermines them. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is not required to set fuel efficiency standards for trucks and its mission does not include reducing greenhouse gases.

• It prevents states from adopting California’s stricter mobile source standards.

• It claims to preserve state laws controlling greenhouse gas emissions, but infact voids provisions of state law in the State Implementation Plan and greenhouse gas limits in stationary source permits.

In a time of rapidly rising gasoline prices it would be foolhardy to destroy the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to require fuel efficient vehicles. It is also unlikely that the people of the United States want a return to gas guzzling cars and trucks at a time when so many are living on tight budgets.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Marcia J. Cleveland Legislative Representative