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Department of Ecology News Release - June 13, 2005
05-140
OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is beginning preliminary work that will lead to new regulations necessary to enact the clean-car law passed by the legislature this year.
The department plans to adopt the new standards by December 2005, so they could take effect by the 2009 model year. Federal law requires that auto manufacturers be given lead time of at least two model years so they can adapt to a state's new regulations.
"We want Washington motorists to have access to these cleaner cars as soon as possible so that our citizens can breathe cleaner air and can purchase new vehicles that are cheaper to operate. We don't see any reason to delay the start of this process," said Stu Clark, manager of Ecology's air quality program.
As required by the new clean-car law, Ecology already has created an advisory group to help the department reach decisions how to implement the new standards in Washington.
The advisory group includes representatives from new and used car dealers, auto manufacturers, environmental and consumer groups, and government. A list of members is available online at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/cars/NewCarAdvisoryComm.pdf . The group will begin meeting June 14.
"Seven other states with 26 percent of the nation's population have implemented these standards," Clark said. "I am confident we can do this successfully as well."
The new law also requires that Washington not enact clean-car regulations before Oregon does.
"We are getting to work now so we can be ready to implement our standards as soon as Oregon takes action," Clark said.
Ecology plans to undertake the rulemaking process in two phases. The first phase will adopt the standards themselves, and the second phase will address implementation issues, such as how the rules will be enforced.
In Washington, motor vehicles produce more than half of the emissions of air pollutants that cause cancer, asthma and other health problems. Death and illness related to air pollution costs Washington's economy at least $500 million a year.
Motor vehicles also produce more than half of the greenhouse-gas emissions linked to global warming. Effects of global warming in Washington include reduced snow pack, low summer stream flows, more winter flooding, increased coastal erosion, reduced water supplies for people and agriculture, and further loss of salmon habitat.
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Contact: Glenn Kuper, Public information officer, 360-407-6848.
Clean-Car Advisory Committee: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/cars/NewCarAdvisoryComm.pdf
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
