The city of Berkeley, California, known for its green initiatives, voted Tuesday to adopt gas pump labels that remind people of their contribution to global warming.
The Berkeley City Council voted to draft an ordinance by next spring that will put stickers on gas pumps throughout the city. San Francisco is drafting a similar proposal that could be voted into law by March.
The proposals are believed to be the first of their kind in the country, the Associated Press reported.
Supporters of Berkeley’s plan, which could cost up to $20,000 the first year, argue the labels will motivate people to drive less. But the Western States Petroleum Association, an oil-industry lobbying group, claims the plan “compels speech in violation of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution,” AP reported.
A mock-up of the proposed labels, written by the San Francisco city attorney’s office, says, “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has determined that a typical passenger vehicle burning one gallon of fuel produces on average almost 20 pounds of tailpipe carbon dioxide, which the EPA has determined is the primary greenhouse gas that is contributing to recent climate change,” the San Francisco Gate reported.
The labels are part of a larger voter-approved city plan to reduce emissions by 33 percent between 2000 and 2020, a local CBS affiliate reported.
Two council members voted against the plan.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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