What can the clean car standards do for Minnesota?
Reduce Global Warming Pollution
The clean car standards include rules that are specifically designed to curb global warming emissions from cars and light trucks. These standards will be more effective at reducing global warming pollution than the proposed federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards. In Minnesota, the clean car standards would reduce global warming pollution by an additional 1.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2E) in 2020 alone, compared with what would be achieved by implementing the minimum federal CAFE standards as currently proposed.
GHG benefit of clean car standards over Federal Standard in Minnesota (1):
In 2016, 0.5 million metric tons CO2E (2)
In 2002, 1.3 million metric tons CO2E
Save Minnesota Consumers Millions at the Pump
As noted above, the California Air Resources Board estimates that the clean car standards would prevent the emission of 1.3 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent in Minnesota in 2020 alone. This is equivalent to consuming approximately 150 million fewer gallons of gas. At an Energy Information Administration-estimated price of Midwestern gasoline of $1.91/gallon, this would represent avoided fuel costs of approximately $280 million for Minnesota consumers in 2020 alone. Moreover, by reducing demand for gasoline, the clean car standards will help keep gas prices in check and avoid gasoline price spikes.
Reduce our Dependence on Oil
Ensuring that automakers provide consumers with more efficient vehicles will not only reduce pollution and help save money at the pump, it will also help ease our dependence on oil, from both foreign and domestic sources. Implementing the greenhouse gas portion of clean car standards in the 15 states that have already adopted them (3) would eliminate the need for 65 million barrels of oil in 2020 alone. This is slightly more than the total amount of oil we imported from Kuwait in 2007. (4)
Increase Options for Consumers
The clean car standards will increase consumers’ options when purchasing a vehicle. Specifically, consumers will have many more choices of more efficient gasoline and hybrid vehicles and will benefit from advanced vehicle demonstration programs. Automakers are already producing some efficient vehicles that comply with the clean car standards, but they are primarily marketing and distributing them in states where the standards are likely to be implemented. Requiring automakers to meet these standards will help ensure they make all of their fuel-efficient vehicles readily available to Minnesota customers.
Notes:
(1) This information was estimated by the California Air Resources Board and published in its May 8, 2008 assessment, “Comparison of Greenhouse Gas Reductions for the United States and Canada Under ARB GHG Regulations and Proposed Federal 2011-2015 Model Year Fuel Economy Standards: Addendum to February 25 Technical Assessment,” Table 2.
(2) CO2-Equivalent. The CO2-E of a given mixture and quantity of greenhouse gases reflects the amount of carbon dioxide that would have the same global warming impact.
(3) Arizona, California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington have officially adopted the Clean Car Standards. Several others are actively considering
adoption.
(4) "U.S. Imports by Country of Origin." Energy Information Administration.
