Join us with the Governor and support clean cars!

We've been working hard to curb global warming pollution and bring Clean Cars to Oregon. When the big automakers tried to get our Legislature to prohibit Oregon from enacting clean cars standards, people across the state sprang into action -- sending over 3,700 e-mails to legislators and making over 700 phone calls urging Gov. Kulongoski to veto the automakers' bill and move forward on clean cars. Now, we have reached a major milestone in the campaign.

I've just gotten word that on Monday, at an event in Portland, Gov. Kulongoski will veto that anti-clean-cars bill! He'll also make a major announcement about the next steps he's taking on the issue.

I want to invite you to join us at the event! This is a great way for the Governor to see how much Oregonians support clean cars and to encourage him to bring the program to Oregon this year.

When: Monday, August 29 at 9:30 a.m.
Where: Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland; meet at the OSPIRG banner

Please take a moment now to let me know if you can attend this event. Feel free to invite your friends and family in the Portland area to come to the event too by forwarding this email to them.

To let me know you'll attend the event, click here or paste this link into your web browser:
http://ospirg.org/OR.asp?id=1134&id4=ES

Background

Governor Kulongoski has called for Oregon to adopt the Clean Cars program created in California. This program would be good for the environment and good for the economy. It sets strong emissions standards for cars, including for global warming pollution, and requires that a percentage of vehicles sold be advanced-technology or zero-emissions vehicles, such as hybrids. That means tens of thousands more advanced-technology cars and trucks for Oregonians. Detroit has the technology right now to make cleaner cars, but their availability to Oregonians is limited.

Limiting global warming pollution from cars is critically important; there's now scientific consensus that global warming is starting to change Oregon. Sea levels on parts of the central and northern Oregon Coast are rising and snowpack in the Cascades is shrinking, leading to reduced river flows and less water available for irrigation, hydropower and salmon migration. The Clean Cars program requires cars to emit 30% less global warming pollution starting in 2009.

The good news is that cleaner cars are one of many ways we can reduce our global warming emissions while helping the local economy. By putting tens of thousands more advanced-technology cars on the market in Oregon, the Clean Cars program will give consumers more choices. And because the technologies that reduce global warming pollution also allow the cars to go farther on a gallon of gas, Oregonians will save money at the pump.

Unfortunately, the auto industry is pressuring hard to stop the Governor from adopting this great program. They convinced the Legislature to pass a provision - tucked into the budget for the Department of Environmental Quality - prohibiting the Governor's administration from implementing the Clean Cars program. However, after thousands of Oregonians spoke up, the bill only passed by one vote, and the Governor indicated plans to veto the bill.

We've just gotten word that on Monday morning, Gov. Kulongoski is going to use his veto pen to clear the way for Oregon to adopt clean cars! I want to invite you to come and join OSPIRG and Gov. Kulongoski at an event to celebrate this milestone, and show your support for bringing clean cars to Oregon this year.

When: Monday, August 29 at 9:45 a.m.
Where: Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland

Please take a moment now to let me know if you can attend this event. Feel free to invite your friends and family in the Portland area to come to the event too by forwarding this email to them.

To let me know you'll attend the event, click here or paste this link into your web browser:
http://ospirg.org/OR.asp?id=1134&id4=ES