EPA Allows Tougher Emission Rules for California

After long negotiations between state and federal officials, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cleared the way Thursday for California to impose more stringent automobile emission standards than those set by the federal 1990 Clean Air Act.

A waiver to the act, approved despite determined opposition from automobile manufacturers, was signed Thursday afternoon by EPA Administrator William K. Reilly. The waiver allows more stringent requirements to take effect with 1994 model vehicles.

Although the standards are the state’s front-line weapon against smog, the effect of the EPA decision will be felt across the country, as states beset by smog problems are expected to adopt the California standards.

Lawmakers in New York and Massachusetts have adopted the more rigid controls mandated in California but made their action contingent on the EPA’s approval of California’s waiver request.

Other eastern jurisdictions from Virginia and the District of Columbia to Maine may follow suit.

Telling reporters Thursday morning that he would sign the waiver, Reilly said the action “will assure that California will continue in its cutting edge role to combat air pollution.”

The state, he said, “will pave the way for a new generation of cleaner cars” and “as a result, we will all be able to breathe a little easier.”

California historically has demanded cleaner cars than the rest of the country and, when the first federal clean air standards were enacted in the mid-1960s, it won the right to set tougher standards.

Waivers from federal requirements have been granted routinely since then.

The new state standards were adopted in September, 1990, and officials applied for a new waiver last February. Its approval was delayed mainly because auto manufacturers resisted and the EPA was required to conduct hearings.

The waiver was more controversial than previous ones because the automobile industry will be forced to produce cars that will run on fuels other than gasoline and eventually produce cars that are non-polluting.

Although expected, approval of the waiver was greeted with enthusiasm by state officials.

Jananne Sharpless, president of the state Air Resources Board, said: “The EPA has been supporting the Air Resources Board’s stricter automotive emission standards for the last 25 years and we appreciate that the tradition will be continued with this most recent approval.”

The new standards, she added, “set the foundation for the 21st-Century car.”

State standards to be implemented require that new cars become progressively cleaner, emitting 50% to 85% less pollution than current models.

In 1998, 2% of cars each manufacturer produces for California must be “zero-emitting” vehicles, most likely electrically powered. The percentage will increase to 5% in 2000 and 10% by 2003.

Environmental advocates see the California requirement for non-polluting vehicles and the state’s massive car market as driving forces that will force designers and manufacturers to come up with effective and acceptable vehicles powered by electricity or radically different fuels, such as hydrogen.

Bill Sessa, spokesman for the Air Resources Board, said that Ford, Chrysler and General Motors have produced cars for 1993 that can comply with the 1994 standards.

Gov. Pete Wilson said the clearance for the new standards means that the state will continue on the course it has followed for years.

“Approval of these regulations assures the continuation of California’s leadership in reducing air pollution from automobiles,” he said. “California leads not only the nation, but also the world in environmental protection--and this decision keeps us on course.”

Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) said that the tough requirements also will present economic opportunity for Southern California--where the smog problem is worst and high-tech industry faces serious economic challenge.

“Companies in Los Angeles have the technological know-how so the region can become the Silicon Valley for advanced transportation planning,” she said.

“The main objectives are for the industry to make electric vehicles competitive in cost and convenience to the fuel-powered car. With this state standard, we can speed up the expansion of this important industry for California.”

Abramson reported from Washington and Dolan reported from Los Angeles.