Friday, June 11, 2004
Several states may follow California's tighter emissions rules
California's plan to sharply cut automotive emissions of global warming gases could eventually lead much of the coastal United States to get vehicles that are substantially cleaner, and by extension more fuel efficient, than the rest of the nation.
This year, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Connecticut have said they intend to start following California's car rules instead of the federal government's. New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine already do so.
Together, these seven states along with California account for nearly 26 percent of the U.S. auto market, according to R.L. Polk, a company that tracks auto registrations. Other states are also considering joining. One reason is that many states are now out of compliance on federal ozone emission regulations and see car tailpipes as a solution. Canada is also considering a similar approach on global warming. Automakers from Detroit to Tokyo are concerned that these states, and potentially Canada, could form a potent bloc that has more demanding regulations than the rest of the country.
Many steps remain before all of this happens. But this week, the first details of California's plan, which is still in its early stages, were made public. The plan would require automakers to cut global warming emissions from their new vehicles by 29.2 percent over the next decade, phasing in between the 2009 and 2015 model years.
The proposed emissions cut would have the side effect of requiring automakers to increase fuel economy by somewhere in the mid-30-percent to mid-40-percent range, experts say.
Surveys show that fuel economy is becoming a bigger issue with buyers. And fuel-efficient hybrid electric cars have become sought after; many areas now have a six-month waiting list for a Toyota Prius.
Environmentalists say automakers would not even need technology as advanced as hybrid cars to meet the proposed California rules but could use combinations of simpler technologies and also curb horsepower. Over the past two decades, the average vehicle has doubled in power.
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