US proposes pollution cuts for motorcycles, boats
Date: 31-Jul-02
Country: USA
Author: Tom Doggett
The standards, which were announced late on Friday by the Environmental Protection Agency, would take effect in 2006 for new motorcycles and in 2008 for boats.
"When final, these new standards would have clean air gains equivalent to reducing pollution from 9.4 million cars annually," said EPA administrator Christie Whitman.
The emissions covered by the agency's proposal are major contributors to air pollution. Motorcycles and boats account for 12 percent of hydrocarbon emissions and 3 percent of carbon monoxide emissions from mobile sources, which also includes automobiles, trucks and off-road vehicles.
The proposed standards would help avoid a range of respiratory and related health problems associated with ozone, carbon dioxide and soot levels, the agency said.
While many of the 5 million motorcycles currently on the road are cleaner than required, the average motorcycle still emits about 20 times more pollution per mile than a new car, according to EPA.
The proposed standards for new motorcycles will not affect their highway performance, the agency said.
The boat standards will cover yachts, sport boats, fishing boast, jet boats and other types of pleasure craft and boats with outboard engines.
EPA has already set emission standards for most marine categories. Exhaust emissions standards were set for some outboard engines and personal watercraft in 1996.
The agency proposed emission guidelines for diesel-powered recreational boats in 2001 and commercial marine vessels earlier this year. The EPA said it expects those standards to be finalized early next year.
The agency will hold public hearings on its new standards on Sept. 17, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, for motorcycles and on Sept. 23, in Ann Arbor, Mich., for boats.
Environmentalists said they were happy to see the administration take a step to improve U.S. air quality, but pointed out the emission reduction requirement for motorcycles could have been as high as 90 percent.
"I think it's fair to say this is a step in the right direction, but the standards can and should be tougher," said Frank O'Donnell, spokesman for the Clean Air Trust.
The Bush administration's environmental policies have taken a beating from green groups and other countries that claim the White House tends to favor big business over cleaner air, water and land.
President George W. Bush was strongly criticized by the European Union and Japan for withdrawing the United States last year from the international Kyoto treaty that seeks to reduce total world greenhouse gases linked to global warming.
The administration also took a hit from U.S. environmental groups after it scrapped a proposal from the former administration to reduce arsenic levels in drinking water supplies. The EPA is coming up with its on proposal.
In a related matter, the administration's finally submitted to Congress this week legislation to implement its "clear skies" plan to cut power plant emissions by 70 percent. Green groups warn the plan would allow plants to ramp up generation without having to install pollution control equipment.