Two major events on the national scene this week have the potential to positively impact IEC and its members’ efforts to protect the environment in Illinois.

Clean Cars

When President Barack Obama directed the EPA this week to reconsider California’s request to impose stricter limits on greenhouse gas emissions from cars, he paved the way for the state of Illinois – the 7th largest source of global warming pollution in the country-- to become a leader in the Midwest in addressing climate change. 

Through his directive, President Obama sent a strong signal to the nation that pollutants from cars can and should be regulated by aggressive state-level standards – exactly the kind of standards found in the Illinois Clean Cars Act. This bill, sponsored by Rep. Karen May (D-Highland Park) and Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan), enables Illinois to join 14 other states that have automobile tailpipe pollution controls up to 30% stronger than existing federal standards. 

If passed this year, the Illinois Clean Cars Act would make Illinois the first state in the Midwest to adopt such stringent standards and create an economic tipping point for manufacturers to invest in clean car technology.

The benefits of the Illinois Clean Cars Act are many. The measure would help our economy by saving the average Illinois family hundreds of dollars a year at the gas pump through increased fuel efficiency. It would enhance national security by decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, help fight global warming, and protect public health by cutting soot, smog, and cancer-causing air toxics. 

Clean Energy and Transit Investment

The economic recovery bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Jan. 28 includes $80 billion in clean energy and transit investments that will help fight global warming and put people to work in green jobs. 

The “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” includes at least $37.9 billion for energy efficiency, $27.8 billion for renewable energy and $14.6 billion for public transit and clean transportation, for a total of $80 billion in clean energy funding. It also includes an amendment by Representative Nadler (D-NY) to increase public transit funding by $3 billion, which will yield $88 million for Chicago-area transit investments in buses, train cars, track upgrades and other projects.

America’s transportation sector is responsible for one third of the nation’s global warming pollution and 60 percent of oil consumption. Funding for public transit, which creates one third less pollution than comparable passenger car travel, yields 19 percent more jobs per dollar than building new highways. 

The future of the economic recovery bill in the U.S. Senate is uncertain, but clearly the idea that legislative measures that help the environment can be good for the economy is taking hold in our nation’s capitol. It’s just a beginning, but it’s a good sign.