ZD IIIUL 19 

' PMIZ:Z'

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD 

TIMOTHY J MCCARTHY 

SOAVE ENTERPRISES 

TPANSPORTATON GROUP 

VICE CHAIRPERSONS 

PATRICIA E. MOORADIAN 

THE HENRY FORD 

ROBERT RINEY 

HENRI FOP) HEALTH SYSTEM

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary 

Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590

The Honorable Lisa Jackson 

Administrator 0FC: 01: 

Environmental Protection THE 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW 

Washington, DC 20004 

TREASURER 

VICTOR MARIT: 

BEST \IVESTERN

	

ERLING INN 

BANQUET & C'

	

YNCE CENTER 

visitdetrc, it .com 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

JOHN K. BLANCHARD 

GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY 

BLAIR BOWMAN 

SUBURBAN COLLECTION SHOWPLACE 

THOM CONNORS 

COBO CENTER 

BOB FARMERY 

DETROIT MARRIOTT AT THE 

RENAISSANCE CENTER 

SAUL A GREEN 

Cliv OF DETROIT 

JOHN HERTEL 

SMART TRANSPORTATiON 

DONNAM INCH 

FORD MOTOR LAND 

DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 

CHRISTINA LOVIO-GEORGE 

LOVIOGEORGE'I LC 

KEVIN MOORE 

ENEEPPRISE HOLDINGS, INC 

GARY TORGOW 

STERLING GROUP 

ANDREW ZARRAS 

DELTA AlP UIES. TIC 

PRESIDENT & CEO 

LARRY 0. ALC<ANDER

Dear Secretary LaHood and Administrator Jackson: 

The Directors, staff and members of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors 

Bureau are keenly aware that our own jobs and those of thousands of others in this 

region are impacted by tourism travel into our region - most of which is by 

automobile. Making automobile travel generally more expensive by mandating 

unrealistic fuel economy standards for the auto manufacturing industry will 

negatively impact the Detroit region's recovery in myriad ways - not least by 

tightening inbound tourism into our region. As your agencies develop national fuel 

economy standards for 20 17-2025, 1 hope I may add my voice to those encouraging 

standards that correspond to technological reality and consumer demand. Our future 

depends on such. 

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

that considers America's needs for increased fuel economy while preserving the 

choices for families and businesses to meet their transportation needs without 

sacrificing affordability, safety, or jobs. NIHTSA and EPA have already set strong 

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 believe that overreaching 

regulations can place a significant cost burden on individuals, families and 

businesses here in Detroit. 

It is important that standards for 20 17-2025 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 pickup, as do the construction industry and local trades. And, as I noted 

above, tourism is heavily automobile dependent. Indeed, it was nearly a century ago 

that the American Automobile Clubs were founded specifically to encourage 

automobile tourism. It was big business even then. 

SATELLITE OFFICE 

LANSINGOFFICE@VISITDETROIF COM 

517,318.7023 

F: 313.202,1809 

CONVENTION & VISITORS SUREAU

HEADQUARTERS 

211 W. FORT ST. 

SUITE 1000 

DETROIT MI 48226 

313.202.1800 

F 313.202 808

SATELLITE OFFICE 

WASHINGTONDCOFFICEVISITDETROI1.COM

1 

703 469.1 784 

F. 31 3.202 1813
Detroit-region businesses all share the need for affordable transportation. The next 

phase 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 a new car, which could put jobs across 

the country at risk and many potential travelers will minimize trips to make up for 

higher transportation costs. Hotels, restaurants, museums, parks, theaters - all will 

be negatively affected. 

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.
vt&itöetroit.com

The Honorable Lisa Jackson 

Administrator 

Environmental Protection Agency 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW 

Washington, DC 20004 

DETROIT METRO CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU 

211 W. FORT ST. / SUITE 1000 / DETROIT, MI 48226