Trillium Stands in Support of Clean Fuel Standards

BOSTON – September 20, 2011
Trillium joined business leaders, other SRI investors, and members of the community at a meeting on September 20th, 2011 to deliver a strong economic argument to Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and 10 other Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Governors in favor of pursuing a regional clean fuels standard in their states.
The meeting was hosted by NESCAUM, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management to give stakeholders a chance to discuss an economic analysis, released last month, on the regional impacts of a clean fuels standard.  The clean fuel standards require producers to gradually reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted per mile traveled by mixing lower carbon fuels into their supply mix.  In addition, suppliers are allowed to determine the best way to meet the standards, including blending biofuels, reducing production emissions or purchasing credits to offset emissions.
NESCAUM’s analysis found that the impacts of a clean fuels standard, designed to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels in the region by 5% to 15% over the next 10 to 15 years by replacing some gasoline and diesel with lower carbon fuels such as electricity, advanced biofuels and natural gas, could strengthen the region’s economy, help reduce emissions, enhance energy independence and reduce vulnerability to the frequent price swings in imported oil. The economic analysis also shows that a clean fuels standard could reduce regional oil consumption by up to 8.7 billion gallons annually in 2022 and beyond, saving up to $137 billion in fuel expenditures over ten years and helping to keep more money circulating in local economies.
For more information, please contact Carol Lee Rawn at Ceres at rawn@ceres.org