835 SW Topeka Blvd. Topeka, KS 66612 785.357.6321

iiii KANSAS 

CHA

'!)AILY READING FILE 

The Honorable Ray LaHood

	

The Honorable Lisa Jackson 

Secretary	

Administrator 

Department of Transportation	

Environmental Protection Agency 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE	

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW 

Washington, DC 20590	

Washington, DC 20004 

Dear Secretary LaHood and Administrator Jackson: 

Today, jobs, the economy and energy security are on the minds of every American. The Kansas 

Chamber is focused on proactive policies to address these critical issues and grow Kansas toward a more 

secure future. Transportation is a critical component of our economic vitality and given that your 

agencies are now developing national fuel economy standards for 2017-2025, we want to share our 

views. 

Safe, efficient and reliable transportation impacts each individual, family and business in our state. 

Nearly every job in Kansas is tied to cost effective transportation. With the recent increase in fuel prices 

and turmoil in the Middle East, reducing fuel use and dependence on foreign oil has become a priority 

for many. We encourage you to carefully consider a balanced and thoughtful approach in your efforts 

to improve fuel economy. 

We encourage NHTSA and EPA to adopt a single, national fuel economy standard that considers your 

desire for increased fuel economy while preserving the choices for families and businesses to meet their 

transportation needs without sacrificing affordability, safety, or jobs. NHTSA and EPA have already set 

standards for 2012-2016 that raise the fleet average by 40% to 35 miles per gallon. Looking forward, 

technology improvements should continue to support increases in fuel economy and greenhouse gas 

standards. However, we recognize that overreaching regulations can place a significant cost burden on 

individuals, families and businesses in Kansas. 

It is important that standards for 2017-2025 support a broad range of consumer needs in terms of utility 

and function. Americans need a range of vehicles to meet their family and business needs. Large 

families require automobiles with sufficient passenger space, including room for multiple child-safety 

seats in the back. Small businesses need vans and utility vehicles to conduct commerce. Agriculture 

depends on pickups, as do the construction industry and local trades. 
Our state's businesses share the need for affordable transportation. The next phase of fuel economy 

standards should not pick winners and losers, but should support a variety of technologies and fuel 

diversity to preserve affordability. If fuel economy standards increase too quickly, resulting in more 

expensive vehicles, many of our region's consumers can be expected to hold on to their older vehicles 

longer and defer buying new ones, which could put jobs across the country at risk and delay compliance 

with federal air quality standards. Affordability, customer choice and job preservation are vitally 

important. 

At the Kansas Chamber, we think every day about ways to promote job creation and security for our 

state. We encourage you to carefully balance the factors that impact sensible fuel economy standards, 

including consumer choice, affordability and the economic concerns that weigh on our nation's fragile 

recovery. 

Kent Beisner 

President and CEO 

Kansas Chamber of Commerce 

CC: Congressman Tim Huelskamp 

Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins 

Senator Jerry Moran 

Congressman Mike Pompeo 

Senator Pat Roberts 

Congressman Kevin Yoder