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Category Archives: environment
Earth Day Milestones – History of Auto Air Pollution Regs
As we celebrate Earth Day here’s a list of important dates in the fight against automotive or so-called mobile source air pollution. In 1970, Congress passes the first major Clean Air Act, requiring a 90% reduction in emissions from new automobiles by 1975. Congress also establishes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), giving it broad responsibility for regulating motor vehicle pollution. Continue reading
EPA Issues Tougher Rules for Oil and Natural Gas Production
EPA – sensitive, if not given over to election year politics and high energy prices – also said the standards would enable companies to collect additional natural gas that can be sold. The updated EPA standards include the first federal clean air rules for natural gas wells that are hydraulically fractured, specifically requiring operators of new fractured natural gas wells to use what it says are cost-effective technologies and practices to capture natural gas that might otherwise escape the well. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, economy, energy, environment, news, news analysis, transportation
Tagged air pollution, api, auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, clean air act, energy production, epa, fracturing, Ken Zino, natural gas, oil
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EPA Releases 2010 U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released today the 17th annual U.S. greenhouse gas inventory. The final report shows overall emissions in 2010 increased by 3.2% from the previous year because the economy expanded slightly. In addition, a factor was an … Continue reading
DOT Launches ‘Choose the Right Seat’ for Children in Cars
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages one through 12 years old. From 2006 to 2010, 4,028 children aged 12 and younger were killed in crashes involving passenger vehicles. Another estimated 660,000 children were injured in crashes – a figure greater than the entire population of Boston, Massachusetts. Continue reading
EPA First as Marathon Agrees on Flare Gas Controls
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that Ohio-based Marathon Petroleum Company would install the latest controls on combustion devices known as flares. This is an oil industry first. The settlement is part of EPA’s national effort to reduce air pollution from refinery, petrochemical and chemical flares. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, energy, environment, manufacturing, news, results
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, clean air act, epa, flares, Ken Zino, marathon petroleum, refinery pollution
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EPA Announces Carbon Pollution Limits for New Power Plants
EPA in 2009 determined that “greenhouse gas pollution threatens Americans’ health and welfare by leading to long lasting changes in our climate that can have a range of negative effects on human health and the environment.” Tougher national fuel economy standards ensued. Now it’s the power industry’s turn. Currently, there is no uniform national limit on the amount of carbon pollution new power plants can emit, which comes from burning fossil fuels. Continue reading
BMW and Toyota Sign Lithium Ion Battery Research Deal
Current production Toyota hybrids use nickel metal hydride batteries, an older but thoroughly proven technology. Toyota has been reluctant to use the newer, more expensive lithium ion technology, much loved by environmentalist, but shunned thus far by mainstream car buyers. Nevertheless, Toyota is introducing its first generation of lithium ion batteries in the Prius Plug-in hybrid just on sale in the U.S. Continue reading
Focus Electric Approved for $10,000 in Taxpayer Handouts
The California Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Resources Board (CARB) has dictated that owners of the new 2012 Ford Focus Electric can drive in high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. Owners also will be able to receive up to $10,000 in tax credits between the state’s new $2,500 rebate and a $7,500 federal tax incentive – both funded by taxpayers at a time of soaring deficits. Critics call this socialism for the rich. These subsidies appear to be crucial for sales success of the Focus Electric. Without them, the car lists starting at $39,995. This means a typical payment to buy the compact car – with $4,000 down – is almost $800 per month for 48 months at Ford’s 7% interest rate. The gasoline-fueled Focus starts at just over $17,000. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, environment, fuel economy or emissions, new vehicle, news analysis, transportation
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, carb, focus electric, hov lanes, insight, Ken Zino, leaf, mpge, prius, taxpayer subsidies, volt
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Kansas Refinery to pay $1 Million Fine for Pollution Violations
Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing (CRRM) will pay a civil penalty of more than $970,000 and invest more than $4.25 million on new pollution controls and $6.5 million in operating costs to end violations of air, superfund and community right-to-know laws at its Coffeyville, Kansas refinery. CRRM’s refinery has the capacity to refine more than 115,000 barrels of crude oil per day, producing gasoline, diesel fuels and propane. Continue reading
Audi Announces U.S. A3 e-tron Electric Vehicle Pilot Program
A3 is currently sold to U.S. consumers in gasoline-powered and turbo diesel configurations starting at $28,000 with several thousand dollars in options. The A3 EV – dubbed e-tron – has a 26kWh lithium-ion battery pack and claimed zero driving emissions, if you ignore how the electricity to charge the expensive battery pack is generated. No pricing was given since this is a development not a marketing program. One Audi insider said that eventually an A3 e-tron is “highly likely” here. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, concept, electric vehicles, environment
Tagged a3 e-tron, audi, auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, EVs, johan de nysschen, Ken Zino
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Toyota Prius Plug-In Gets California and Federal Subsidies
Prius Plug-in is Toyota’s first application using a lithium-ion battery pack, which it claims increases its overall fuel economy and has charging times of only 2.5 to 3 hours using a standard 120-volt outlet or 1.5 hours using 240v, which would cost at least $1,000 for a home installation.
The largest Japanese automaker, and hybrid technology leader, resisted using lithium ion batteries for years. However, political and marketing pressure, as well as government regulations favoring the controversial technology, has forced Toyota to embrace the plug-in concept, which is years or more from practical use unless you use the new “green math” to justify its steep price. Continue reading
Chevrolet Volt EVs on Way to California. Volts now Qualify For HOV Lanes and a $1,500 State Taxpayer Subsidy
Chevrolet Volts with a ‘Low Emissions Package,’ which is standard for California Volts, began shipping from the General Motors Detroit-Hamtramck plant this week and will begin arriving at the more than 140 Chevrolet dealerships in California before the end of … Continue reading
$90 Million MOEX Settlement for Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
As part of the settlement, MOEX will spend $20 million for land acquisition projects in several Gulf States that will preserve in perpetuity habitat and resources important to water quality. MOEX has also agreed to pay $70 million in civil penalties, of which, $45 million will go to the United States. This is the largest civil penalty ever recovered under the Clean Water Act. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, environment, litigation, news
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news m deepwater horizon, bp, doj, epa, Ken Zino, Macondo well, moex
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Chevrolet Adds “Ecologic” Window Sticker – Info Overload?
Whether consumers or General Motors will derive any clear benefits from the stickers remains to be seen. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation are also in the process of vastly expanded the amount and type of information on legally required window stickers, starting with the 2013 model year. Critics of the new stickers claim they are confusing since they contain so many different types of data. Continue reading
