Auto Makers and Pollution Burden
No. Auto makers are not pointing to that other “fellow behind the tree” to shoulder the burden for reducing air pollution.
That allegation in the Op-Ed Page piece, “Look at Cars--Not Behind Trees--If We Want Cleaner Air,” by Reps. Henry A. Waxman and Jerry Lewis (July 14) is totally inaccurate.
To assert, as the authors do, that “Clean air legislation must require vehicles to share equally with traditional stationary sources in the process of reducing emissions,” is grossly misleading. That statement, plus the implication (perhaps unintended) that the same tailpipe standards have been in effect since 1970, leads the reader to the false conclusion that vehicle manufacturers have been standing “behind trees”--that we have not been bearing our share of needed air quality improvements.
Tailpipe standards for motor vehicles have been progressively tightened since 1970s. As a result, emissions from new cars have been reduced by 96% for both hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO), and 76% for oxides of nitrogen (NOx), compared to pre-control models of the mid-1960s.
Contrary to the claims of Waxman and Lewis that “those emissions gains have been offset” by increases in vehicle registrations and travel, those reductions have had--and will continue to have--a major impact on the amount of pollutants emitted from the entire vehicle population nationwide. Based on the latest 1987 data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), total highway vehicle emissions of HC dropped 72%, CO emissions were cut 67% and NOx emissions reduced 43% below 1970 levels. During that same period, the number of vehicles on the road increased by 67% and the miles driven in those vehicles grew by 70%. Furthermore, the EPA estimates that between 1987 and 2000 current stringent emissions standards for cars and trucks will result in added major air quality improvements--total HC and CO emissions from all motor vehicles on the road during that time frame will drop another 50% and 52%, respectively, and NOx emissions will go down by another 34%.
President Bush’s clean air legislation calls for an aggressive program to further reduce vehicle emissions. His proposals are tough and will present a real compliance challenge to vehicle manufacturers. As for clean fuels, auto makers are working closely with the California Energy Commission and the state’s Air Resources Board on a test program for methanol-fueled vehicles.
Of particular concern is the requirement in the President’s plan that manufacturers must produce and sell a specified volume of clean-fuel vehicles without any assurance that governments will provide the incentives needed to stimulate consumers to buy those vehicles and use those fuels.
THOMAS H. HANNA
President and CEO
Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Assn.
Washington, D.C.
