Rainforest Action Network

In January 2007, California set guidelines to fight global warming by reducing the carbon intensity of the state's transportation fuels. These guidelines, collectively called the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), could force oil companies to substantially reduce the carbon content of fuels they produce. Write your Senator and Representative to ask for similar legislation at the national level.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Motor vehicles are responsible for almost a quarter of annual US emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). A national LCFS could substantially reduce these emissions by penalizing oil companies for refining raw materials that have a higher a carbon footprint than that of conventional oil. The dirtiest of these raw materials include synthetic crude oil made from sticky bitumen mined from Canada's Tar Sands and industrial agrofuels like palm oil that cause widespread deforestation.

Please support a national low carbon fuel standard that imposes maximum penalties on dirty fuels including synthetic crude oil from Canada's Tar Sands. A national standard should also fully account for "upstream" emissions from land clearing associated with industrial agrofuels such as palm oil, soy oil and cellulosic ethanol derived from trees. Finally, a national standard should offer strong incentives for proven transportation alternatives including Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, mass transit and long-range planning to reduce energy consumption.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 18, 2008