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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 042-09
January 26, 2009

STATEMENTS BY MAYOR BLOOMBERG, REPRESENTATIVE NADLER AND COUNCIL MEMBER YASSKY ON STEPS TAKEN BY PRESIDENT OBAMA TO STRENGTHEN EMISSIONS STANDARDS AND IMPROVE AIR QUALITY

Statement by Mayor Bloomberg:

"The decision by President Obama to order the reconsideration of the Federal Clean Air Act application by California and the northeast states to adopt greenhouse gas tailpipe emission standards for cars is a great victory for sustainability nationwide. If adopted, these new standards will realize one of PlaNYC's initiatives and could achieve as much as a 6% reduction in the City's carbon footprint by 2030.

"This is welcome leadership from the President on an issue that is crucial to our future. It is encouraging that a candidate who campaigned on change is already directing change that will improve the air we breathe in his first days in office.

"In addition, this move highlights the need for Congressional action to ensure that cities can regulate the fuel economy of taxis and similarly regulated fleets. To achieve real environmental and economic benefits from energy efficiency, the most heavily used vehicles must be the first to go green - and the average New York City taxi travels five times as far as the average American car each year. I hope President Obama and members of Congress will support our effort - boldly led by Representative Nadler and by Council Member Yassky in the City Council - to allow us to improve the efficiency of one of the nation's most heavily used fleets."

Statement by Representative Jerrold Nadler:

"I am very pleased that the Obama Administration has taken steps to improve the fuel efficiency of the cars that Americans drive. I look forward to working with the President to pass my forthcoming bill which will amend federal environmental law in order to allow states and localities the discretion to set stronger standards. This would empower cities like New York to enact their own forward-looking rules and, in New York's case, to green its fleet of yellow taxis. This is an encouraging moment in our efforts to become a more energy-efficient and energy-independent country."

Statement by Council Member David Yassky

"I am pleased to see that the steps taken today by the Obama administration will improve fuel efficiency standards for cars across the country. We've been fighting for a long time to green our taxi fleet. These vehicles are heavily used and greening them would bring us a long way towards a cleaner New York. I look forward to working with everyone involved - Congressman Nadler and Mayor Bloomberg particularly - to make green taxis a reality in New York City."







MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser/Jason Post   (212) 788-2958

Ilan Kayatsky (Nadler)   (212) 367-7350

Tim Roberts (Yassky)   (718) 875-5200




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