Global Warming Solutions News

Report Shows Billion-Dollar Benefit in Clean Cars Legislation

If lawmakers pass the Illinois Clean Cars Act currently under debate in Springfield, the state’s drivers will see fuel cost savings of approximately $1.24 billion annually above and beyond savings from the federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program, according to a new report by Environment Illinois.  Drivers in Cook County alone stand to save $385 million per year from the measure.

For individual drivers, new cars meeting the clean car standards will save more than $360-$410 in fuel costs each and every year. Consumers who finance their vehicle purchase with a five-year loan to buy a vehicle will realize an immediate pocketbook benefit, as their lower gas costs outweigh the small incremental increase in car payments in the very first month.  For drivers buying their cars outright, these savings result in a payback period of 2-2.5 years after the purchase of a car meeting the new emissions standards, according to the report, Dollars and Sense: The Economic Impacts of Adopting a Clean Cars Program in Illinois.

“We’re looking down the barrel at $4/gallon gas prices as we approach this summer’s driving season,” said Rebecca Stanfield, director of Environment Illinois and the report’s author.  “The Illinois Clean Car Act is a cost-effective policy tool to reduce pollution from cars while helping consumers avoid the pain at the gas pump.”

The Illinois Clean Cars Act (HB 3424 / SB 2238) would make Illinois the 14th  The standards require automakers to gradually reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by cars and light trucks on a fleet-wide average basis between 2009 and 2020.  To date, 13 states, home to 39% of the U.S.  Automakers in those states are expected to comply with the tailpipe emission standards by making cars more efficient, among other things. state to adopt more stringent tailpipe standards for air pollution and global warming pollution emitted by passenger vehicles sold in the state. automobile market, have adopted the standards.

“I introduced the Clean Cars Act because it’s a great tool to address a major source of pollution with a positive economic benefit to Illinois consumers,” said State Representative Karen May (D-Highland Park).  “With more support from legislators and citizens coming on every day, this is an idea who’s time has come.”

"The City of Chicago supports the Clean Car Act because it means higher emission standards for passenger vehicles and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and is thus directly in line with Mayor Richard M. Daley's climate change priorities, said Suzanne Malec McKenna, Commissioner of the City of Chicago Department of Environment.  “Clean cars are the cars of our future and we join the coalition of states opposing the recent denial of the Clean Air Act waiver for California’s clean car standard," continued Commissioner Malec McKenna. 

The federal CAFE program raises the average miles per gallon for the nation’s car fleet to 35 by 2020, while the Illinois Clean Cars Act creates a new car average fleet of 39.2 MPG by the same year.

The Illinois Climate Action Network (Illinois CAN), a broad-based coalition of environmental, conservation and faith organizations, launched a campaign to pass the Illinois Clean Cars Act on April 2 as a key component of a five-point platform that includes a cap-and-trade policy, low carbon fuel standards, energy efficient furnace requirements and a statewide energy efficient building code. State Rep. Karen May and State Senator Terry Link are leading sponsors of the Illinois Clean Cars Act. 

The findings of the Environment Illinois report probably underestimate the ultimate economic benefit of clean cars, because they’re based on an assumption of $3.00 - $3.50 per gallon fuel costs well into the future, and low estimates of the increase in total vehicle miles traveled in the state, Stanfield said.  In this conservative scenario, however, Illinois consumers still reap enormous benefits – in 18 counties, the annual savings exceeds $10 million per year, while in 94 counties the savings tops $1 million per year.  

Clean cars would yield other economic benefits for the state as well. Consumers would likely spend the savings they see at the pump in other sectors of Illinois’ economy, and the state’s ethanol industry would get a boost as alternative fuel vehicles become a key tool for automakers to meet clean car standards.

Environment Illinois is a citizen-based environmental advocacy organization that focuses on air, water and open space issues. The Illinois Climate Action Network promotes state policies necessary to reduce global warming pollution to 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

Illinois CAN steering committee members are:

• CNT Energy
• Environment Illinois
• Environmental Law and Policy Center
• Faith in Place
• Illinois Environmental Council
• Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
• Natural Resources Defense Council
• Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago
• Sierra Club
• Protestants for the Common Good
• The Nature Conservancy
• Union of Concerned Scientists

For more information about Illinois CAN, visit www.illinoisclimateactionnetwork.org. Learn about Environment Illinois at www.environmentillinois.org. To learn about the Illinois Clean Cars Act, visit www.ilcleancars.org.

Read the report.