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SACRAMENTO, CA - Hundreds of organizations and individuals – businesses, consumer advocates, public health organizations, unions, faith groups, and dozens of California cities, counties, and mayors – are speaking out in an ad in the Los Angeles Times (see ad here: www.calcleancars.org) today supporting the strongest possible California clean car standards. The California Air Resources Board will vote on updates to its innovative Advanced Clean Cars Program on Thursday in Los Angeles.

“Stronger clean car standards are good for California consumers,” said Ken McEldowney, Executive Director of Consumer Action, and Co-Chair of the California Clean Cars Campaign (Campaign). “California families will be able to spend less at the gas pump, and keep more money in their pockets.”

CARB projects that drivers save about $4,000 over the life of a next-generation clean car, despite it costing more up front.

The ad simply states:

We All Want Clean Cars, Consumer Savings, Economic Growth & Cleaner Air California Must Adopt Vehicle Standards to:

• Stimulate the economy, attract investment, generate jobs
• Save consumers money, provide more vehicle choices, reduce harmful pollution
• Demonstrate the state’s leadership in the global economy, strengthen our competitive edge

Backers of this statement include the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, unions representing electrical workers and teachers, business groups ranging from Small Business Majority to the California Ski Industry Association, and health groups including the California branches of the American Lung Association, American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

All are members of the Campaign, which supports strong clean car standards because they save consumers money, reduce air pollution, and support new jobs and investment in the fast-growing clean energy economy.

“The range of support for the cleanest possible cars is remarkable,” said Wendy Greuel, Controller for the City of Los Angeles and a Campaign Co-Chair. “Clean cars standards unite businesses and unions, city and county officials, churches and synagogues, and Southern Californians and Northern Californians because they are a win for consumers, our economy and our air.”

Bruce Klafter, Managing Director of Worldwide Operations for Applied Materials, and a Campaign Co-Chair added, “California’s economy will benefit from updated clean car standards and businesses welcome the clear market signals these standards provide. Our state’s clean technology leadership drives innovation, attracts investment, and fuels job growth.”

Cleaning up California’s vehicles would prevent more than 400 premature deaths a year, according to a study by the American Lung Association in California.

“The Clean Cars Program update under consideration would prevent hundreds of heart attacks and emergency room visits every year, along with thousands of asthma attacks, and tens of thousands of lost work and school days,” said Jane Warner, President and CEO, American Lung Association in California and a Campaign Co-Chair. “Add it up, and the savings in terms of healthcare, environmental, and societal costs are over $7 billion each year.”

Click here to see the Los Angeles Times ad. {encode="http://www.calcleancars.org/docs/Co-Chairs_AdvComm.pdf" title="Click here for a list of the Clean Cars Campaign Advisory Committee."}

Click here for a complete list of supporters of the California Clean Cars Campaign.

About the California Clean Cars Campaign

The California Clean Cars Campaign is comprised of public health leaders, consumer groups, businesses, local governments, elected officials, organized labor, faith groups, environmental organizations, and other diverse constituencies that support the strongest possible standards for California’s groundbreaking Clean Cars Program. Bringing the next generation of advanced, clean cars into the driveways of California families will help to reduce our dependence on oil, save consumers money, reduce air pollution, and support new jobs and investment in the state’s clean energy economy. Visit us at: www.calcleancars.org.