The Honorable Ray La Hood 

Secretary 

Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590

The Honorable Lisa Jackson 

Administrator	 ,. 

Environmental Protection	 , 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW	

'1''' 

Washington, DC 20004 

DAILY READING FILE 

Dear Secretary LaHood and Administrator Jackson: 

Today jobs, the economy and energy security are on the minds of every American. Greater Yuma 

Economic Development Corporation is focused on proactive policies to address these critical issues and 

grow the Greater Yuma region 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 2017-202 5, I wanted to share my views. 

Safe, efficient and reliable transportation impacts each individual, family and business in my city. Jobs in 

the Greater Vuma region 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 the Greater Vuma region. 

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. Military is an important source of 

revenue for my city, and it depends on vehicles to carry out day-to-day business needs. 

899 E. Plaza Circle * Ste 2 * Yuma, Arizona 85365 

928 782-7774 *Fax 928 782-7775

www.greateryuma.org
'Julie Enge!, CEcD 

Presidfl.x4/CEO 

gla 

GYE	Boad of Directors Chairman 

Our region's 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 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 delay compliance 

with federal air quality standards. Affordability, customer choice and job preservation is as much as 

priority as raising fuel economy. 

As Greater Yuma [DC, we think every day about ways to promote job creation and security for our 

region. 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. 

899 E. Plaza Circle * Ste 2* Yuma, Arizona 85365 

928 782-7774 * Fax 928 782-7775

www.greateryuma.org
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