CLEANER CARS WITH BETTER TECHNOLOGY—The Clean Cars Program would cut air pollution by getting more low-emissions vehicles out on our roads, taking advantage of cutting-edge technology.

Clean Cars Cut Dangerous Pollution
On a daily basis, Arizonans experience the impacts of our state’s rapidly increasing population growth including longer waits in traffic; a brown cloud more visibly and regularly over Phoenix; increased smog days; and pleas to car pool and make other sacrifices to reduce air pollution.

Since automobiles are major contributors to smog and vehicle exhaust creates ground-level ozone, an air pollutant that impacts public health conditions like asthma and lung disease, more cars on the road will increase the adverse impacts to public health.

The Clean Cars Program establishes limits on health-damaging pollution from automobiles and paves the way for the widespread introduction of technologies with the potential to reduce pollution like hybrid-electric and fuel-cell vehicles.

Paving The Way
Over the last year, the Arizona PIRG Education Fund has led efforts to bring cleaner cars to Arizona. To ensure a favorable recommendation for the Clean Cars Program to the governor from a set of diverse stakeholders, we have worked through the governor’s Climate Change Advisory Group’s (CCAG) Transportation and Land Use Working Group.

Not only did the full CCAG unanimously vote in favor of this program, the governor included it in an executive order in September 2006.

This summer is a critical time for the Clean Cars Program in Arizona, with skyrocketing gas prices, and worsening air conditions.

Arizona PIRG is building support this summer for our state to now move forward and conduct the necessary process to put cleaner cars on the road.