Sounding off about Wisconsin easing emission rules for older cars.
Have you noticed that unhealthy air days have been in the news more frequently this year in Milwaukee County?
The real issue for Milwaukee County is how will we meet the Clean Air Act regulations on soot (particulates)? If Wisconsin is going to not test car emissions for older models built before 1996, then what is the plan for meeting the regulations to improve our air quality? The Doyle administration needs to develop a plan that insures all counties will comply with the EPA limits to reduce smog and soot. Public hearings need to be held on that plan to bring counties into compliance. Asthma disproportionately affects African Americans and children in Milwaukee County. Those small particles that we are breathing can cause premature deaths in our older populations suffering from heart or lung diseases. Inhaling particulates also inhibits the healthy development of lung function in children.
How can the public judge whether this vehicle testing exemption is reasonable without a comprehensive plan to meet the EPA standards to reduce soot in Milwaukee County and other counties that currently violate the regulations?
See TV coverage at:
CBS 58 WDJT-TV Milwaukee News, Sports and Weather
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Polluted Air Comes at a Cost
In an opinion piece in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Aug. 22nd, Patrick Mcllheran, an editorial columnist, suggested that it doesn’t make sense for the EPA to tighten the ozone rules to improve public health. He sticks to the classic argument that cleaning up pollution will be done at the expense of added prosperity. To me, this is a false choice and ignores reasonable solutions that would dramatically improve our air quality and enhance our quality of life.
The most obvious solution would be to raise the corporate average fuel economy of our vehicle fleet (CAFE.) That simply means making cars that go farther on a tank of gas. Currently a House/Senate conference committee is working on combining their respective energy bills into one bill. The Senate voted to raise the CAFE standards to 35 mpg by the year 2020. Let’s make sure the final bill includes this improvement in the standard.
An improved vehicle fleet would dramatically improve our air quality. Taking this step would also not penalize SE Wisconsin, because the standards would apply to the U.S. vehicle fleet. We would benefit from reduced emissions that follow the air currents from Chicago. Our Wisconsin drivers would save an estimated $449 million dollars in 2020 and job growth would create an estimated 3,400 new jobs through local spending according to a study by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
The Mcllheran op-ed was titled: “Cleaner air is better air – but it isn’t free air.” I would argue that polluters continue to view clean air as “free air,” but the reality is that it comes at a great cost to the health and welfare of our families in Wisconsin.
The most obvious solution would be to raise the corporate average fuel economy of our vehicle fleet (CAFE.) That simply means making cars that go farther on a tank of gas. Currently a House/Senate conference committee is working on combining their respective energy bills into one bill. The Senate voted to raise the CAFE standards to 35 mpg by the year 2020. Let’s make sure the final bill includes this improvement in the standard.
An improved vehicle fleet would dramatically improve our air quality. Taking this step would also not penalize SE Wisconsin, because the standards would apply to the U.S. vehicle fleet. We would benefit from reduced emissions that follow the air currents from Chicago. Our Wisconsin drivers would save an estimated $449 million dollars in 2020 and job growth would create an estimated 3,400 new jobs through local spending according to a study by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
The Mcllheran op-ed was titled: “Cleaner air is better air – but it isn’t free air.” I would argue that polluters continue to view clean air as “free air,” but the reality is that it comes at a great cost to the health and welfare of our families in Wisconsin.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Improve MPG to Address Population Growth
Today is World Population Day. Between the years of 1985 and 2005 as we were raising our young family, the Wisconsin population grew by about 830,000 people. Most of those youngsters will grow up, get their licenses and make their first big purchase of an automobile.
This coming of age generation own more vehicles per family and put more mileage on them. I went through College and Graduate School without a car, but most teenagers in today's generation are lining up to get their license on their 18 birthday!
During that same 20 year period of time the standard for the fuel economy of our vehicle fleet has remained at 27.5 MPG and has not included the growing number of SUVs under the passenger car regulations.
We now have a real opportunity to raise that standard to 35 mpg by 2018 for passenger cars, SUVs and light trucks. The U.S. House will take up an energy bill during the last 3 weeks of July and it's time to include improving the fuel efficiency of our vehicles. Consumers stand to save money, we can reduce emissions of global warming pollutants and asthma inducing smog.
As our population continues to grow, it only makes sense that we pull the technology off the shelf and put it to use. We all stand to breathe easier.
This coming of age generation own more vehicles per family and put more mileage on them. I went through College and Graduate School without a car, but most teenagers in today's generation are lining up to get their license on their 18 birthday!
During that same 20 year period of time the standard for the fuel economy of our vehicle fleet has remained at 27.5 MPG and has not included the growing number of SUVs under the passenger car regulations.
We now have a real opportunity to raise that standard to 35 mpg by 2018 for passenger cars, SUVs and light trucks. The U.S. House will take up an energy bill during the last 3 weeks of July and it's time to include improving the fuel efficiency of our vehicles. Consumers stand to save money, we can reduce emissions of global warming pollutants and asthma inducing smog.
As our population continues to grow, it only makes sense that we pull the technology off the shelf and put it to use. We all stand to breathe easier.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)