Clean Cars Initiative

Washington Motor Vehicle Standards

In 2005, Governor Gregoire signed into law the Clean Car Act, making Washington the ninth state to adopt strong state standards for motor vehicle emissions. The new standards follow those established by California, and require a certain percentage of cars and light-duty trucks to meet very low emission standards, beginning in 2009.

With the implementation of this legislation, the Clean Car Act will:

• Reduce cancer-causing automobile emissions.

• Save $1.1 billion in fuel costs for Puget Sound consumers and $2.3 billion for Washington state consumers by 2020.

• Start reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

• Enable Washington to reduce global warming pollution from new cars by roughly 30% by 2016.

• Leave more room for Washington’s economy to grow within safe pollution limits.