The Honorable Ray La Hood	

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. As the mayor of 

Marion, Indiana, I am focused on proactive policies to address these critical issues and grow my city 

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, I wanted to 

share my views. 

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

Marion, Indiana 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. I 

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. 

I 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, I recognize that overreaching regulations can place a significant 

cost burden on individuals, families and businesses in my city. 

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. Agriculture and construction is an 

301 South Branson Street • Marion, Indiana 46952


888/827.9931 Phone: 765/668.4401 Fax: 765/668.4438. Website: www.marionindiana.us
important source of revenue for my city, and it depends on vehicles to carry out day-to-day business 

needs. 

My residents 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 consumers can be expected to hold on to their older vehicles longer and defer 

buying a new car, which could put auto 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 a mayor, I think every day about job creation and security for my city. As a policymaker, I know that 

good regulations and laws are often a balancing act of competing demands. I 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. 

Wayne W. Seybold 

Mayor
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