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MANUFACTURERS 

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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 South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance is focused on proactive policies to address these critical issues and grow our state 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 wanted to share our views. Safe, efficient, and reliable transportation impacts each individual, family, and business in our state. Jobs in South Carolina are all tied to cost effective transportation. With the recent increase in gas prices and turmoil in the Middle East, reducing fuel use and dependence on foreign oil are on all our minds. We support your efforts to improve fuel economy by laying out a long-term program, but encourage you to carefully consider a balanced and thoughtful approach. 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. NHTSA 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 recognize that overreaching regulations can place a significant cost burden on individuals, families, and businesses in South Carolina. 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 pickup, as do the construction industry and local trades. Manufacturing is an important
1340 Bull Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201 Phone: 803.7999695 Fax: 803.771.8738 Web site: www.myscma.com Email: admiii@myscma.comsource of revenue for our state and local communities, and companies depend on vehicles to carry out

day-to-day business needs. South Carolina businesses all 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 state'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 delay compliance with federal air quality standards. Affordability, customer choice, and job preservation is as much a priority as raising fuel economy. At SCMA 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.

Lewis F. Gossett President & CEON

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