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Breaking News from America's Progressive Community... 1999
Releases
The press releases posted here have been provided to NewsCenter by the one of the many progressive organizations we have selected to participate. If you would like more information about this press release, you should contact the organization directly. |
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| FEBRUARY
18, 1999 4:34 PM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: US Public Interest Research Group Rebecca Stanfield or Angie Farleigh, U.S. PIRG (202) 546-9707 |
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| U.S. PIRG Says Preliminary Reports of EPA Proposal on Auto Pollution Are Promising, But Not Perfect | ||||
| WASHINGTON
- February 18 - Within the next few days, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected
to submit their long-awaited proposal to reduce auto emissions to the Office of
Management and Budget for approval. Based on preliminary reports of the rule’s
content, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group applauded the EPA for proposing
tough new auto standards, but noted several shortcomings of the rule.
“This rule will be an important milestone in the fight to make our air safe to breathe for all Americans.” said Becky Stanfield, U.S. PIRG Clean Air Advocate. “The EPA made the right decision to target pollution from cars and light trucks. Automobile air pollution is responsible for one third of the smog that sends thousands of people to emergency rooms every year.” Preliminary details of the rule, as reported in the press, suggest that the proposed regulations will significantly reduce air pollution from cars and light trucks, making the average car emit 89% less smog-forming pollutants. For the first time, the popular sport utility vehicles (SUVs), which account for nearly half of the nation’s auto market, would be held to the same emissions standards as passenger cars. Currently, SUVs are allowed to pollute 3-5 times more than cars. The rule would also require oil companies to do their part by drastically reducing the amount of sulfur in the nation’s gasoline to 30 ppm, down 90% from the current level of 330 ppm. Although the proposal does take a big step in the right direction, there is still room for several improvements. First, under the proposed rule, automakers would have until the year 2009 to bring their biggest and dirtiest SUVs in line with the rest of their vehicles. The SUV loophole needs to be closed much earlier. In California, SUVs must meet the same standards as cars by the year 2007. Second, the proposal contains a loophole designed to allow the sales of dirty diesel vehicles that pollute significantly more than passenger cars. Diesel manufacturers should be given no special preferences. California specifically rejected this loophole when drafting their new air standards in the fall. Finally, the proposal needs to provide for even cleaner technologies in the future by tightening the standards another step beyond this program. This would provide for commercialization of some of advanced technology vehicles, such as fuel cells, electric vehicles, and hybrids, already available in California and other areas of the world. “Today the EPA gave the green light for cleaning up automobile pollution”, said Stanfield, “Now they just need to make it to the finish line”. After OMB approves the proposal, there will be public comment period beginning as early as April. The final rule is scheduled to be finished by the end of this year. ###
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