Calling All Toyota Pruis Owners!

Dear Friend,

If you bought a Toyota Prius to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the impact of automobiles on the environment, you may be surprised to learn that your "green" car company, Toyota, has joined with other auto manufacturers to lobby Congress against the first real attempt to improve national fuel efficiency standards in two decades.

So what in the world is happening? In June 2007, as you may recall, the U.S. Senate passed a bill to raise Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. These new standards would ensure that the fleetwide average for all cars increased incrementally, from 25 to 35 miles per gallon by model year 2020. Against well-financed opposition from auto manufacturers, the bill also eliminated a loophole that allowed SUVs to be treated differently than cars. When the Senate CAFE bill reached the House of Representatives, however, reform stalled. House leaders then promised that fuel efficiency standards would be included in energy legislation when it moved to the House-Senate conference committee in the fall.

Today, with the House-Senate conference committee back to work, well-heeled auto manufacturers are trying once again to block fuel efficiency standards that will reduce toxic air emissions, cut America's dependence on foreign oil, and save consumers money. Worse still, Toyota, the very company that sells the Prius and other hybrids with warm words about how these cars are green, better for the environment, and more mileage friendly has joined the big, dirty auto makers in opposing CAFE standards.

Well, it ain't right. And Clean Air Council is leading a campaign to help Prius and Toyota hybrid owners let Toyota know that they want their car company to give Congress the same green message it gives its car buyers.

We are looking to hold a press event in the Pittsburg area highlighting this issue sometime at the end of next week. (Oct 18 or 19). Please email me at [email protected] to get more info.

-Bill Hassall
Clean Air Council
135 South 19th Street
Suite 300
Philadelphia PA 19103
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 215-567-4004 x122
Fax: 215-567-5791
http://www.CleanAir.org/