Monday, March 3, 2014

California, Here We Come, Chasing Your Air Quality Standards

   California, here we come! Today -- if I'm reading the news correctly -- the nation as a whole headed off to California.
   Air Quality wise.
   We'll be there by 2017. The news blurb on the Environmental Protection Agency's website says the agency  "finalizes" Tier 3 standards. I think "finalizes" means this is no longer just an idea. It is becoming the law of the land.
    If so -- while I think Tier 3 standards are a good thing -- I wonder at how they have come about. It seems kind of like it is by presidential decree, only with the agency doing it instead of the president. I guess an executive order, of sorts, can come from any part of the executive government, not just from th president, himself.  If "finalizes" means it is being made the law, I wish Congress were the party making the mandate. But, for all I know, Congress already signed over on this one. Perhaps a law governing EPA authorizes them to set air quality standards.
  The key thing you need to know about Tier 3 is, nitrogen oxides and certain other pollutants will be reduced by 80 percent. Some have suggested it is a little like taking four out of five cars off the road, pollution-wise. I haven't caught up with which pollutants aren't part of the 80 percent reduction to know if I'd agree to the notion it compares to four of five cars coming off the road. But obviously, for certain pollutants, it is correct.
   That's a pretty big bite being taken out of pollution.
   Car factories will need to be retooled. Some suggest new car prices will increase by a few thousand dollar. Gasoline refineries will need to be refitted, pushing gas prices slightly up, some say not more than 6-9 percent, and others say it is only like 1 percent. There is a cost involved here, but I think it is a cost worth paying.
   Utah Gov. Gary Herbert endorsed Tier 3 standards last summer. Utah Rep. Patrice Arent has introduced a joint resolution, HJR23, calling for Tier 3 standards in Utah. Some have suggested Utah shouldn't jump ahead of the nation, as it would be problematic.
   Speaking of timeliness, the Deseret News editorialized in favor of Utah adopting Tier 3 standards just yesterday.
   The Tier 3 standards are patterned after California's Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) III program.

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/tier3.htm

http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/03/epa-says-new-tier-3-emissions-levels-will-clean-air-save-lives/

http://le.utah.gov/~2014/bills/static/HJR023.html

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=28921783&nid=148&fm=home_page&s_cid=featured-3

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69d/ce8984957ffefa6a85257c90004fe802!OpenDocument


http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865595255/Lawmakers-mull-Gov-Herberts-clean-air-recommendations.html?pg=all

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865597596/Utah-needs-clean-air-fuel-standards-now.html

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/57524255-82/herbert-utah-tier-winter.html.csp

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