Environment America’s Statement Re: President Obama’s Clean Vehicles Announcement

Environment America

Boston, MA—President Obama today announced a new initiative to encourage the production of alternative fuel vehicles, including a $1 billion National Community Deployment Challenge, as well as increased tax incentives and additional research grants. Environment America’s Get Off Oil Program Director Daniel Gatti issued this statement in response:

“With the environmental and economic cost of our oil dependence out of control, the race is on to build high tech clean vehicles that will get us off oil – and President Obama is leading the charge.  

“American families need more than cheap slogans and cynical partisan attacks to help them cope with the rising environmental and economic costs of our oil addiction. We need real solutions. Electric vehicles are here, they are clean, they will help us solve global warming and they will allow American drivers to speed past the gas pump without worrying about the price of oil or political turmoil in the Middle East.

“This program will reward communities that develop the best strategies to make electric vehicles convenient and affordable for millions of American families. It represents a critical piece of a comprehensive strategy to get us off oil through cleaner vehicles.  

“Today’s announcement builds on President Obama’s bold leadership to lead this country to a cleaner future free from the tyranny of oil companies, air pollution, and global warming. Because of this administration’s investment in American auto manufacturing, every major auto company is now manufacturing electric vehicles. Meanwhile, the administration has proposed fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks that represent the largest single step ever taken to reduce oil consumption and tackle global warming.  

“At every step, the Obama administration has faced down the cynics with the confidence that American technology and manufacturing is powerful enough to overcome our addiction to oil and lead the world building the vehicles of the future.”