Trenton – The New Jersey Low Emissions Vehicle (LEV) program officially started on January 1st. One critical piece of the program, a limit on tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases, will not go forward unless President-elect Obama reverses a decision by the Bush Administration to block thirteen states from implementing it.
“President Obama can make big progress in the fight to curb global warming on his first day in office by reversing the Bush Administration’s decision to block states from setting a tailpipe limit for greenhouse gas emissions. Such an action would be an inspiring start for a new President committed to solving global warming and achieving oil independence,” said Dena Mottola Jaborska, Executive Director of Environment New Jersey.
In 2004, New Jersey was the fifth state in the nation to exercise a state’s right under the Clean Air Act to adopt California’s tougher car emission standards instead of those set by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since then, thirteen states have adopted the LEV program, spear-headed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
The LEV program has two major components: tougher tailpipe standards for smog, soot and air toxics (than federal standards) and technology forcing requirements. The latter includes a requirement that an estimated 10% of the cars manufactured for sale in LEV states be either super clean conventional gas-powered vehicles or advanced technology vehicles such as gas-electric hybrids. Most importantly, the program promotes oil independence by requiring automakers to produce zero emission cars for sale in LEV states by 2011.
“In the face of federal inaction, the LEV program has been a tool for New Jersey and other states to push automakers to make cleaner, more fuel efficient cars. While tougher tools are needed, this program helped advance gas-electric hybrid cars now commercially available as well as plug-in hybrids and electric cars which will be widely available in the next year to two years,” continued Mottola Jaborska.
In 2004, the California Legislature passed the Pavley law which added an emissions limit for greenhouse gases to the LEV program. But on February 29th of last year, the US Environmental Protection Agency formally denied California’s request for a Clean Air Act waiver, prohibiting New Jersey and twelve other states from adding a tailpipe standard for greenhouse gases to their LEV program requirements.
By 2020, the Pavely standard, if implemented, would reduce 40% more greenhouse gas emissions than new national fuel economy standards adopted last year. This would result in nearly 400 million metric tons less global warming pollution by 2020 – a reduction equivalent to taking 74 million of today’s cars off the road for an entire year.
“If we are going to achieve oil independence and solve global warming, the LEV program is an important place to start. We urge the President-elect to give this program a green light as he works to develop more far – reaching policy to reduce pollution from cars and trucks,” added Mottola Jaborska of Environment New Jersey.
Although the LEV program does not officially start until January 1st in New Jersey, automakers have been banking credits toward the 2009 standards since the law was signed by Governor McGreevey in January of 2004. According to data from the New Jersey Department or Environmental Protection, some but not all the seven automakers subject to the program (Ford, GM, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Volkswagen) will comply with the mandates at the end of the year. However, automakers have a three year window to achieve an average of the annual mandate, giving them until the end of 2011 in New Jersey to comply before the state can consider enforcement action.
The results are visible today, with over seven models of gas – electric hybrid vehicles available for sale in New Jersey and more than 33 super-clean conventional gasoline powered cars. According to the program rules, the seven auto manufacturers subject to the program have been granted credits for clean, alternative technology cars sold in the state as far back as 1999. In total, from 1999 to July of 2006, all seven manufacturers sold 69,006 super-clean, LEV certified gasoline powered cars; 14,416 LEV certified gas – electric hybrid cars (or other similarly clean alternative fuel powered cars); and 125 zero emission neighborhood electric vehicles.
“With advanced credit banking, carmakers got a head start in meeting the 2009 mandates set by the New Jersey LEV program. But for future years, they will have to aggressively pick up the pace and put cleaner, more efficient engines into many more models of cars sold in New Jersey and other LEV states. This is consistent with what auto industry leaders have stated they will do with federal bailout dollars,” said Mottola Jaborska.
Mottola Jaborska concluded, “The LEV program gives states the power to hold the auto industry to their word that cars will be cleaner and greener in the not too distant future. It’s an important start, putting a future free from automobile pollution in sight. To solve global warming and make our nation independent of oil, cars must be 100% pollution free within the next two decades.”
