GM Statement on EPA Decision to Deny Waiver to CA

GM is dedicated to providing a wide array of vehicle solutions to improve our nation’s energy security and address climate change. The EPA’s decision to deny California’s request for a waiver under the Clean Air Act hopefully will allow us to focus on meeting the tough, new national fuel economy standards set within the Energy Bill recently passed by Congress and signed by the President. By removing the disproportionate burden of complying with a patchwork of state-specific regulations that would divert our resources, automakers can concentrate on developing and implementing the advanced technologies in ways that will meet America’s driving needs across the country.

California ’s request to administer standards for motor vehicle emissions of CO2 are, in fact, fuel economy standards. The federal government has been and should continue to be the focal point of such requirements. Furthermore, we are determined to work with the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the State of California and others to enhance and increase the fuel efficiency and advanced technology of our vehicle offerings for consumers from coast-to-coast and in every state.

As we said in Los Angeles two years ago, GM wants to remove the automobile from the environmental equation and we are well underway in these efforts. For example, this coming year we will offer 8 hybrid models, 12 flexible fuel vehicle models, and the largest customer-driven fuel-cell test fleet in the world with Project Driveway putting more than 100 Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell vehicles on the road. We are also committed to developing more electrically-driven vehicles, including plug-in hybrids, and extended range electric vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt.