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In Ford’s Backyard, Activists to Sound the Alarm About the Industry-Led Clean Cars Rollback

Sept. 24, 2018

PRESS CONFERENCE AND CALL

In Ford’s Backyard, Activists to Sound the Alarm About the Industry-Led Clean Cars Rollback

WHAT: Press conference with dial-in option and display outside a federal hearing at which activists will call on Ford to support the clean car standards, also known as fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards.

As part of the White House’s planned rollback of the standards, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are holding a hearing in Dearborn, Mich., on Tuesday to hear public opinion.

Before the hearing, consumer and environmental groups will deliver a wake-up call to Ford – literally – that working with the Trump administration to roll back clean car standards is unacceptable. With an installation of several hundred vintage-style alarm clocks, the coalition will sound the alarm that it’s time for Ford to stand with American families and dump the Trump rollback. Last week Ford Motor Company, under significant pressure from a broad coalition of organizations and the public, appeared to reverse its stance on the Trump administration’s proposed rollback, but the company has yet to unequivocally condemn the new rule.

WHEN: Press conference with dial-in option begins at 9:30 a.m. EDT Tuesday, Sept. 25
Dial-in number: 800-875-3456; Verbal Passcode: FORD 25
Hearing begins at 10 a.m. EDT

WHERE: Dearborn Inn, Grosse Pointe Room
20301 Oakwood Blvd.
Dearborn, Mich.

WHO: Madeline Page, clean cars campaign coordinator, Public Citizen
Mike Berkowitz, legislative and political director, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter
Dahn Brickner, Detroit native and longtime automotive industry professional

VISUALS: signs, banners and dozens of alarm clocks

Background: In January 2017, the EPA concluded that America’s clean car standards are working and achievable. Last month, NHTSA and the EPA proposed freezing the standards at 2020 levels and revoking the California waiver, which allows that state and 12 others to protect their citizens from harmful tailpipe pollution.

Despite helping craft the standards, automakers have pushed to roll them back since Trump’s election. Ford and other automakers have attacked the standards at every turn – recently using their trade association to provide regulatory comments to NHTSA that cast doubt on climate science and the link between air pollution and adverse health impacts. Ford has claimed to be good on the climate even while executives have met with administration officials about weakening the standards.

If the standards remain strong, consumers will continue to save billions at the pump, and more than 6 billion metric tons of dangerous climate pollution will be avoided.

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