News Analysis: PA Clean Vehicles Program and The Roadless Rule Updates

Transcript

OPEN: Pennsylvania's Environmental Quality Board recently voted to revise the state's Clean Vehicles Program. The amendments would require that cars sold in the state meet more stringent emission standards. If the regulation goes into effect, the new pollution standards would begin with 2008 model vehicles. Ann Murray joins me to about the road the Clean Vehicles Program has taken since 1998. And speaking of roads, to update us on the federal Roadless Rule.

T: The Environmental Quality Board has had a big show of support for amending the Clean Vehicles Program.

A: Yes, meetings were held in March of this year and lots of Pennsylvanians turned out to comment. Nearly 5000 comments and most were in favor of the amendments.

T: I know we've talked about the program before, but remind us about its origins and how the state hopes to amend the regulation.

A: The federal Clean Air Act allows state to choose federal emission standards or the more protective California standards.The independent Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board unanimously approved the Pennsylvania program in 1998 and voted in October of last year to implement some but not all of the standards set by California by 2008.

T: How did the Board tailor the program to Pennsylvania?

A: The Environmental Quality Board rejected some California provisions, such as fuel blends and zero-emission requirements. Pennsylvania will continue to make its own emissions-control decisions.

T: Proponents of the amendments contend that vehicles will be cleaner and more efficient if these changes are implemented.

A: Yes, Pennsylvania's DEP projects that by 2016 when the program is completely in effect, consumers will save from $40 to $80 a year because their cars and light trucks will run more efficiently.

T: But not everyone has agreed that consumers are going to save money if the changes to the regulation happen.

A: Sure. A bill was introduced earlier in the year in the Pennsylvania legislature that would have eliminated what some proponents see as the guts of the regulation.

T: What do you mean?

A: It made the current provisions of the program, based on the California program optional for automobile manufacturers. It would have allowed them to choose what critics consider to be a weaker, less protective federal program.

T: Although this bill didn't make it out of the legislature. It was a close decision.

A: Yes. Proponents of the bill said that air quality had improved enough since 1998 not to warrant to using the California standards because it would cost the consumer about $3000 more dollars for the additional clean engine technologies.

T: Governor Rendell, the state's DEP and environmental groups say Pennsylvania's air quality hasn't improved enough to warrant less stringent emission standards. What statistics do they reference to make their point?

A: Ironically, federal stats from EPA. EPA says that nearly 60% of ground level ozone comes from cars and that 2/3 of all Pennsylvanians live in 37 counties that didn't meet EPA ozone standards in 2004.

T: What does that mean for people's health?

A: Heart and respiratory problems like asthma are affected by ground level ozone where gases are trapped in the atmosphere and air quality is degenerated.

T: What are the comparisons between eliminating pollutants under the California standards and the federal emission standards?

A: The DEP offers these numberss: under the California standards, about a 10 percent reduction in volatile organic compounds and a 5 to 10 percent reduction in six toxic pollutants like benzene, which can cause cancer.

T: Is this the end of the road for the Pennsylvania Clean Vehicles program? Is it a done deal?

A: No. It has another hurdle. The Independent Regulatory Review Commission will vote November 2 on the regulation.

T: As we mentioned at the beginning of our conversation, you're going to update us on the Federal Roadless Rule. Something we've talked about several times.

A: Last week, a federal judge in California ruled against the Bush administration's decision to let states with national forests pick which areas of national forests would remain roadless.. The decision is a victory for four states including California and a number of environmental groups that sued the US Forest Service to overturn the changes from the original Clinton era rule which banned roads on about 59 million acres in national forests. The US Department of Agriculture hasn't decided whether they'll appeal the decision.

T: Thanks for the updates.

A: You're welcome. We have more information about the state's clean vehicle program and the federal roadless rule on our website
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