Get Paid to Scrap Your Old, Inefficient Vehicle

<p>A bill introduced in Congress Wednesday would help drivers retire their old, inefficient cars in exchange for money to help them buy public transportation passes or newer vehicles with better-than-average gas mileage.</p>
<p>The Accelerated Retirement of Inefficient Vehicles Retirement Act of 2009 (ARIVA), introduced by Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), would offer vouchers of up to $4,500 for drivers to retire any vehicle still in drivable condition that has a fuel economy rating of less than 18 miles per gallon.</p>
<p>These vouchers would help make fuel-efficient cars, such as hybrids and electric cars, more affordable for everyone, but especially for those who can least afford high gas prices but also can’t afford to buy a newer vehicle with better mpg.</p>
<p>The bill would require that retired cars be scrapped and that the voucher go toward the purchase of a new or used car that exceeds federal fuel economy standards by at least 25 percent, or toward the use of public transit.  </p>
<p>The <a title=”American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy” href=”http://www.aceee.org/” target=”_blank”>American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy</a> (ACEEE) has commended the bill, estimating that 575,000 cars would be retired through the program each year, and that oil savings would reach 46,000 barrels per day by 2013.</p>
<p>You can follow the progress of this bill, H.R.520, through <a title=”Thomas” href=”http://www.thomas.gov/” target=”_blank”>Thomas</a>, the Library of Congress’ legislative information website. And you can read more about ACEEE’s endorsement of ARIVA <a title=”here” href=”http://www.aceee.org/press/0901crusher.htm” target=”_blank”>here</a>, as well as the group’s full report on the bill, <a title=”Accelerated Retirement of Fuel-Inefficient Vehicles Through Incentives for the Purchase of Fuel-Efficient Vehicles” href=”http://aceee.org/transportation/Crusher%20white%20paper%20fin.pdf” target=”_blank”>Accelerated Retirement of Fuel-Inefficient Vehicles Through Incentives for the Purchase of Fuel-Efficient Vehicles</a>.</p>
<p>If you’d like to speak up in support of ARIVA, contact your state senators and representatives and encourage them to co-sponsor the bill. You can find their contact information on the United States <a title=”Senate” href=”http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm” target=”_blank”>Senate</a> and <a title=”House of Representatives” href=”https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml” target=”_blank”>House of Representatives</a> websites.</p>
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<a title=”Megan Hirt” href=”https://www.motherearthnews.com/biographies/megan-hirt” target=”_self”>Megan Hirt</a>
<em>is an Associate Editor for</em> MOTHER EARTH NEWS. <em>Find her on</em>
<a title=”Google+” href=”https://plus.google.com/u/0/110849541409486960266″ rel=”author” target=”_blank”>Google+</a>.</p>