United Auto Workers Union and Sierra Club Team Up Against New CAFE Proposal

The Executive Director of the Sierra Club and the President of the U.A.W. wrote a joint op-ed article in today's (2/18/04) New York Times opposing NHTSA's proposal for revising fuel economy standards.

The primary concern expressed about the NHTSA proposal is that establishment of a "series of vehicle weight categories, with a separate standard for each category" would result in manufacturers adding "weight to all of their vehicles to make them qualify for heavier weight categories." The U.A.W. and Sierra Club are concerned that the overall result of the NHTSA proposal would be:

1. A "reduction in overall fuel economy and an increase in pollution." and

2. Placing "the jobs of thousands of Americans who work, either directly or indirectly, on the production of small cars" in jeopardy.

Clearly, before making any changes to the current regulations, NHTSA needs to carefully and accurately evaluate and publicize the impact of their proposal on the environment and the economy. Furthermore, the agency needs to reach out to diverse automotive stakeholders -- not simply organized interests -- to learn the real world impact of their proposal on families, small business and others.