California Poised to Slash Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Vehicles

SACRAMENTO, California, June 16, 2004 (ENS) - Greenhouse gases emitted by passenger cars and light trucks would be reduced 30 percent in 10 years under a draft proposal released Monday by the California Air Resources Board (ARB). The proposed regulation would implement state legislation passed in 2002 to cut greenhouse gas emissions, which are responsible for global warming.

If the proposal is adopted, California would be the first state in the nation requiring automobile manufacturers to make cars that emit fewer global warming pollutants.

"The proposal protects public health and conforms to the language and spirit of [the legislation], which requires the ARB to limit emissions from California passenger cars that contribute to global warming," said ARB Executive Officer Catherine Witherspoon.

Traffic on the Harbor Freeway in Los Angeles, California (Photo courtesy CalTrans)

The ARB staff proposal identifies methods that can be used by automakers to improve the performance of car engines, transmissions and drivetrains to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the maximum extent possible.

It analyzes a series of technology packages that automakers could use to reduce those gases and finds that automakers can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 23 percent by 2011, and up to 30 percent by 2014, across the vehicle fleets.

Environmentalists say California's new pollution standards could have a ripple effect throughout the country. California is the only state authorized under the federal Clean Air Act to set its own pollution standards. Other states must comply with federal standards unless they choose to adopt California standards, which are usually stricter.

In practice, several states, particularly in the Northeast, have chosen California's pollution standards to clean up their air.

"Once again, California is paving the way for cleaner, better cars," said Roland Hwang a policy analyst and vehicle technology expert with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "The proposed new global warming standard is part of a long tradition of finding innovative solutions to air pollution problems."

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers fought the legislation, maintaining that it would greatly increase the costs of owning and driving vehicles in California.

The trade association of nine car and light truck manufacturers - BMW Group, DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Mazda, Mitsubishi Motors, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen - says that California cars may become smaller, lighter and less powerful, and some of the best-selling models may be banned for sale in California as a result of this legislation.

In response to these objections, the ARB staff analyzed how the proposed climate change regulation may impact the California economy. Their report anticipates higher prices for new vehivles but lower operating costs once those vehicles are on the road.

On the freeway approaching Los Angeles (Photo courtesy Ryan Gebman)

But the ARB staff says that many of the technological options that manufacturers will choose to comply with the regulation are expected to reduce vehicle operating costs, positively affecting consumers and most businesses.

The measure is "simply too extreme for California," the automakers objected. "It would hurt low income Californians the worst, because it would dramatically increase the costs of driving for everyone regardless of income."

The balance of higher vehicle prices but lower operating costs will be the same for low income California residents as for those with higher incomes, says the staff, which worked with community leaders involved with environmental justice as well as with environmental and public health organizations to determine the potential effect of the regulation.

The net effect of the regulation on the economy is expected to be "small but positive," and the ARB staff predicts "no significant adverse impact on the state's economy."

"There will not be any impacts on the ability of California business to compete with businesses in other states, and state and local agencies will not be adversely impacted," the staff says. In fact, they are likely to realize a net reduction in their cost of fleet operations.

Vehicle climate change emissions consist of four main elements: