Subscribe to the Environment Headline RSS feed | Subscribe to the Environment Headline feed via EmailCalifornia Air Agency Proposes Rules to Tighten Vehicle Emissions Standards
July 22, 2011 in World Climate Change Report · Leave a Comment
LOS ANGELES—New passenger cars sold in California in 2025 would emit 75 percent less smog-forming pollution than today’s vehicles, under a proposal outlined by the California Air Resources Board at a July 19 workshop.
Along with calling for more vehicle standards to help the state meet federal clean air standards, the proposal aims to overhaul the state’s landmark zero-emission vehicle program, including measures to build an adequate infrastructure for electric, fuel cell, and other advanced clean vehicle technologies.
The board also hopes to add greenhouse gas emissions standards to the plan.
CARB is working with the Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in developing national greenhouse gas emissions standards for 2017-2025 model year cars and light trucks, which it hopes to include in the state proposal if those standards are strict enough to meet the state’s goals.
“The goal is to have a greenhouse gas emissions standard that both the federal government and California are comfortable with,’’ CARB’s Paul Hughes said.
Both the CARB and EPA-NHTSA proposed rules are scheduled to be released Sept. 28.
CARB’s governing board is scheduled to vote on the rule package at its Nov. 17 meeting.
Environmental and consumer advocacy groups have said they are watching the national rulemaking process for any “loopholes” that could effectively lower the new fuel economy standards. (See related story; 140 WCCR, 7/20/11.)
Focus on Zero-Emission Vehicles
The workshop at CARB’s facility in El Monte, near Los Angeles, focused largely on the agency’s plan to set new declining fleet average emissions standards for 2015-2025 model year light-duty cars to further reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and particulates.
CARB also plans to require manufacturers to guarantee emission control systems to 150,000 miles, replacing its current 120,000-mile durability requirement, and set a zero-level evaporative emissions limit…
