As the new home of RIPIRG's environmental work, Environment Rhode Island can be contacted regarding this news release.
PROVIDENCE—Hours
after release of the Climate Report Card, Governor Carcieri announced
two long-awaited climate change executive orders. The executive orders
would improve efficiency of the state fleet of vehicles and improve
energy efficiency standards for any new public buildings.
“These
executive orders are a symbolic step for Rhode Island to prioritize
cleaning up its own fleet of vehicles and buildings and to show other
institutions in our state the direction we need to go,” said Chris
Wilhite of Clean Water Action. “The Governor now has an opportunity to
reduce the threat of global warming in Rhode Island by following up
these executive orders with significant cuts in global warming
pollution from cars and trucks.”
In
July the Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group(RIPIRG) and Clean
Water Action called on the Governor to take 3 steps to reduce global
warming emissions in the state. The orders were the two of the steps
the groups advocated. The third step was for Rhode Island to follow
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Vermont in
adopting California’s new global warming emission standards for cars.
“Today
the Governor took two steps forward in releasing these executive
orders,” said Matt Auten, Advocate with RIPIRG. “In terms of real
emission reductions however today’s announcement is really just an
appetizer. In terms of real and quantifiable emissions reduction the
main course would be adopting global warming emission standards for all
new cars and trucks sold in Rhode Island.”
Last
year, Governor Carcieri finalized rules to put more clean cars, like
hybrids, on the road and to reduce harmful air pollutants. Since then
the Governors of New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts have publicly
committed to following California’s lead by updating the Clean Cars
Standard. This action would be the biggest proactive step that Rhode
Island can take to reduce global warming emissions to date.
A
“Climate Report Card” released Tuesday by a coalition of environmental
advocates in the United States and Canada gave Rhode Island a grade of
“B minus” for its actions to reduce global warming pollution in the
region. The report card calls for strong reductions of global warming
pollution from cars and trucks.
