The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will allow 12 Northeast states and the District of Columbia to impose tough air emission limits that require autos to be 70% more efficient than today's vehicles.
The 1990 Clean Air Act amendments required the states to develop an antipollution plan. The states from Virginia north, in a coalition called the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC), last February proposed a clean air program like California's tough approach.
A majority of the 12 states must approve the antipollution plan within 12 months for it to take effect.
EPA delayed its decision, hoping to negotiate a 49 state vehicle emission standard for all new autos, not as tough as the California standard (OGJ, Nov. 21, p. 29).
EPA Administrator Carol Browner said, "The states will now have the option of adopting the cleaner car program, beginning with model year 1999, or choosing other measures that would provide equivalent pollution reductions.
"Today's plan also provides for the sale of some advanced technology vehicles that reduce pollution by even more than 70%. The OTC petition did not request an EPA decision on electric car sales mandates."
She said EPA, OTC states, and the auto industry will continue working toward a 49 state vehicle approach.
"We believe this broader agreement would be the most sensible and cost effective way of bringing clean air to Americans," she said.
"It would enable the auto industry to market a cleaner car throughout the nation, not simply in the OTC states and California. An alternative agreement would also promote development of advanced car technology such as natural gas powered cars within the OTC states."
The Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition said, "This decision will continue the market development of natural gas vehicles and other advanced technology vehicles.
"Our Northeast members have been working hard in their respective states to encourage the environment commissioners and governors to include natural gas vehicles as a solution to their ozone nonattainment programs."
Copyright 1994 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
Issue date: 12/26/94
