Clean Car Standards Clear Final Regulatory Hurdle

Independent Regulatory Review Commission Approves Clean Vehicles Program

HARRISBURG—The state's Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) voted 4-1 today to approve implementation of the Pennsylvania Clean Vehicles Program, which will bring cleaner cars to Pennsylvania. The program is supported by public health and citizens groups, including the Pennsylvania Parent Teachers Association, the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, and the American Lung Association of Pennsylvania.

With approval from the five member IRRC—and the expected sign-off from the Attorney General’s office—the program, which applies to new cars and trucks sold in Pennsylvania starting with model year 2008 models, can be fully adopted by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). There is, however, legislation pending in the state House of Representatives that would block the Clean Vehicles Program from being fully implemented.

“Today’s vote is very good news for Pennsylvania’s environment and public health,” said Nathan Willcox, energy and clean air advocate for PennEnvironment. “Once adopted, the Clean Vehicles Program will be a critical step towards cutting the air pollution that triggers more than 300,000 asthma attacks annually in the Commonwealth.”

Smog pollution is known to trigger asthma, and is responsible for the “code red” pollution days during summer months across the Commonwealth. DEP estimates that annual emissions of smog-forming pollutants from cars and trucks will drop by roughly 10 percent by 2025 as a result of the Clean Vehicles Program. It is also expected that the program will result in a 10 percent cut in annual toxic benzene pollution and a nearly 25 percent reduction in annual global warming pollution from cars and trucks in Pennsylvania by 2025.

Public support for the Clean Vehicles Program was made clear earlier this year, during a public comment period conducted by the state’s Environmental Quality Board. Roughly 4,800 Pennsylvanians commented in support of the program, including 1,500 PennEnvironment activists. The program is also supported by groups including the American Lung Association of Pennsylvania, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Women’s Health & Environmental Network, Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, and the Pennsylvania Parent Teachers Association. Also, 10 other states—including New York and New Jersey—have already adopted the same standards.

Despite the clear potential benefits of the Clean Vehicles Program and the public support behind it, some state legislators have worked with industry lobbyists to push legislation that would block adoption of the program. This legislation (SB 1025) had been stalled since the spring, but almost received a full floor vote in the state House of Representatives in October. Environmental and public health advocates fought hard against the bill’s movement, and will once again take up the fight should the state House choose to bring the bill up for a vote in its upcoming lame duck session.

“Pennsylvania can’t afford to take steps backward in the fight against air pollution, but that’s exactly what this bill would unfortunately do,” said Willcox. “PennEnvironment urges the House of Representatives to support the Clean Vehicles Program by rejecting SB 1025.”