Copyright 1999 The Tribune Co. Publishes The Tampa Tribune
The Tampa Tribune
December 29, 1999, Wednesday, FINAL EDITION
SECTION: NATION/WORLD, Pg. 12
LENGTH: 742 words
HEADLINE:
Cleaner auto fuels mean cleaner air;
BODY:
It is notable that little was heard from the automobile industry
when the Clinton administration announced a sweeping round of measures to
reduce smog-causing emissions from cars and light trucks.
In the past,
the industry has vehemently opposed restrictions. Some manufacturers may still
fight the new rules. But the industry's initial reaction to the
president's announcement was muted, if not supportive. The reason? In a
major regulatory change, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to also
require gasoline refiners to clean up their fuels, rather
than put responsibility for the emission reductions solely on the
automobile industry.
THE GOVERNMENT has required refiners to clean up
their fuels before, as when it ordered that lead be removed. But for the
most part, emission reductions have focused on automobiles.
Helen
Petrauskas, vice president for environmental and safety engineering at the Ford
Motor Co., said of the rule, "EPA and automakers have invested tremendous
effort" in developing the rule. "We have consistently said that one of the
keys to introducing advanced emissions control technologies is to have
cleaner fuel. We are pleased EPA has adopted a national
gasoline standard that lowers sulfur
content, and will realize the potential of the clean technologies we are already
delivering to consumers."
The new rules, which will be phased in
over five years, beginning with 2004 models, will cut smog-causing
emissions by 90 percent. They will require sport utility vehicles and minivans
to meet the same, tougher standards as cars.
The administration
did not, as was feared, try to curtail the production of sport utility
vehicles. In fact, the president emphasized the
regulations would "ensure the freedom of American
families to drive the vehicle of their choice, and the right of American
children to breathe clean air."
The rules target nitrogen oxides,
which cause unburned fuel to react in sunlight and produce smog. Cars now
are allowed to emit 0.4 grams of nitrogen oxides per mile. SUVs and minivans are
allowed to emit from 0.7 grams to 1.1 grams, depending on their size. The
new EPA rule will require cars in the 2004 model year to emit no more than
0.07 grams. Most SUVs would have to meet that standard by 2007, though a
few models would have until 2009.
EPA officials estimate these changes
will increase the cost of a car by about $ 100 and the cost of a light
truck about $ 200.
Similarly, refiners will have to reduce
sulfur levels to an average of 30 parts per million, a
reduction of 90 percent. It is estimated that the extra refining will add
about 2 cents to the price of a gallon of gasoline.
The additional costs, particularly at the pump, will be felt by
consumers. But they are not excessive. Consider, too, the American Lung
Association's finding that smog annually accounts for 400,000 asthma
attacks and 1 million respiratory ailments of various kinds. Children are
particularly hard hit by breathing problems. Further, air pollution is
blamed for 15,000 premature deaths among the elderly.
EPA
officials estimated that the cost to industry of the new
regulations would be $ 5.3 billion over the
implementation phase but that the resulting cleaner air would cut the nation's
health care bills by $ 25.2 billion.
It is useful to remember that
industry vigorously fought the original Clean Air Act of 1970, claiming it
would be an economy-buster. It wasn't. Indeed, the law dramatically cleaned up
the nation's air without harming the economy. Once the rules were in
place, businesses found efficient and innovative ways to comply.
IT'S TRUE that regulations become more complicated and
expensive as they progress from cleaning up obvious pollution sources
(smokestacks) to more subtle and challenging ones such as the chemical
compounds in fuels. We do worry that the new regulations
could reduce the muscle of SUVs, which many people buy for the extra
pulling power. But industry officials say that while they will be
"challenged," they can meet the targets. Too, the largest SUVs would not
have to meet the emission standards until 2009.
The new measures
will improve the nation's air without limiting consumer choices or unduly
increasing costs. They look to be both achievable and appropriate,
particularly given American industry's track record for technical
ingenuity.
NOTES: EDITORIALS
LOAD-DATE: December 30, 1999 
