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Category Archives: fuel economy or emissions
EPA Offers Grants to Cut Oil and Gas Well Methane Emissions
“Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we now have unprecedented funding to cut methane pollution that is fueling the climate crisis,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This investment will increase competition and help small and medium-sized producers compete on a more level playing field, create new good-paying jobs in energy communities, and support environmental restoration, making clear that strengthening our economy, tackling climate change, and protecting our communities go hand in hand,” Regan claimed. Continue reading
Hurricane Idalia – EPA Issues Florida Summer Fuel Waiver
Storm preparations have resulted in the closure of multiple ports in the state that receive fuel and have restricted and interrupted fuel terminal operations, preventing an adequate supply of gasoline. In addition, evacuations – including mandatory evacuations – are straining available supplies. Waiving federal requirements to sell summer gasoline can help address these supply shortages. Continue reading
Iowa, Nebraska Sue EPA to Sell E-15 Year Round
“The EPA’s ongoing failure to act following our E15 notification more than two years ago is nothing more than a thinly veiled disguise of their disdain towards clean, renewable, American-produced ethanol. The EPA disfavors anything that doesn’t have the word ‘electric’ in its name,” said Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. She has a point. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, customer satisfaction, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, litigation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, clean air act, Doug Burgum, e-15, ethanol, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, JB Pritzker Illinois; Laura Kelly Kansas; Tim Walz Minnesota, Ken Zino, Kristi Noem South Dakota, Michael S. Regan, North Dakota, Pete Ricketts Nebraska, Tony Evers Wisconsin.
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Parts Maker Sinister Diesel to Pay $1 Million After Guilty Plea
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced in the criminal case by US District Court Judge John A. Mendez for the Eastern District of California on 14 November 2023. Although Sinister Diesel agreed to pay a $500,000 criminal fine under its plea agreement, the company faces – for each count – a maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense. Its sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of all applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which consider a number of variables. Continue reading
Posted in environment, fuel economy or emissions, litigation, public health
Tagged Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, clean air act, conspiracy to defraud the United States, Death of the diesel, emission control defeat devices, epa, Ken Zino, Sinister Diesel, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert, US District Court Judge John A. Mendez, US Justice Department
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USDOT Proposes 58 MPG Fuel Economy Standard
The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today issued a proposal to update fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks. The “preferred alternative” among several in NHTSA’s proposal includes a 2% per year improvement in fuel efficiency for passenger cars and a 4% per year improvement for light trucks beginning in model year 2027. This increases through model year 2032, potentially reaching an average fleet fuel economy of 58 miles per gallon by 2032. However, NHTSA notes that real word fuel economy is ~20-30% lower than estimated CAFE fuel economy.* Continue reading
EPA – As Economy Grows Key Pollutants are Declining
Air pollution contains gas and particle contaminants that are present in the atmosphere. Gaseous pollutants include sulfur dioxide (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and certain toxic air pollutants. Particle pollution (PM2.5 and PM10) includes a mixture of compounds that EPA groups into five major categories: sulfate, nitrate, elemental (black) carbon, organic carbon and crustal material. Continue reading
Stellantis Buys Share of Symbio for Fuel Cell Technology
“Acquiring an equal stake in Symbio will bolster our leadership position in hydrogen-powered vehicles by supporting our fuel cell van production in France, and it also serves as a perfect complement to our growing battery electric vehicle portfolio,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO. Continue reading
Nel Announces Automated Hydrogen Fuel Factory in Michigan
“The short distance to General Motors, headquartered in Detroit, has played a decisive role in the choice of state. The two companies collaborate to develop further and improve Nel’s PEM electrolyzer technology,” said Nel’s CEO, Håkon Volldal. “The choice of Michigan is based on an overall assessment of what the state can offer in terms of financial incentives, access to a highly skilled workforce, and cooperation with universities, research institutions, and strategic partners. I will also highlight the personal engagement from Governor Whitmer and her competent and service-minded team,” Volldal said. Continue reading
CARB Mandates Zero-Emission Medium, Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Trucks represent only 6% of the vehicles on California’s roads. However, CARB noted that they account for more than 35% of the state’s transportation generated nitrogen oxide emissions, and 25% of the state’s on-road greenhouse gas emissions. Continue reading
Decarbonizing Shipping Fleets – a Complex, Uncertain Course
To learn how industry leaders are thinking about future fuels, the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, the Global Maritime Forum, and the Mærsk McKinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping conducted a survey (with analytical support provided by McKinsey) of shipping companies. Collectively, these companies own and operate fleets – including container ships, tankers, dry bulkers, gas carriers, car carriers, cruise ships, tugs, and offshore vessels – comprising ~20% of the world’s total capacity. Continue reading
Tesoro Refining to Pay Penalty for Consent Decree Violations
“Tesoro did not meet the consent decree pollution limit because it did not install adequate pollution controls,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “As this settlement shows, EPA will seek substantial penalties when companies delay installing appropriate pollution controls to meet environmental obligations.” Continue reading
EPA – Children Especially Vulnerable to Climate Change
The peer-reviewed EPA report quantifies projected health effects associated with extreme heat, air quality, changing seasons, flooding, and infectious diseases. Where possible, the analyses consider the extent to which health effects disproportionately fall on children who are Black, Indigenous and people of color [BIPOC], low income, without health insurance, and/or have limited English proficiency. Continue reading
CARB Approves Toyota HD Fuel Cell Electric Powertrain Kit
“Toyota aims to reduce or eliminate emissions for all mobility solutions, and our fuel cell electric powertrains have proven that hydrogen can play a significant role in the emissions reduction of emissions from heavy-duty transportation,” said Scott Friedman, senior program manager advanced mobility, Toyota Motor North America. “Receiving the Zero-Emission Powertrain Executive Order from CARB is a key achievement for our teams who have dedicated an incredible amount of time and effort, and we are excited to offer this powertrain commercially in the near future.” Continue reading
California Climate Investments – ~$1B in 2022 to Communities With Worst Impacts of Pollution, Climate Change
“California continues to put our cap-and-trade dollars to work through unprecedented investments in zero-emission infrastructure, housing, conservation, and more,” said Yana Garcia, California’s Secretary for Environmental Protection. “The majority of these funds benefit communities disproportionately burdened by pollution and experiencing the impacts of persistent economic inequity. In 2022 alone, we invested nearly $1 billion in under resourced communities to help ensure an equitable transition to carbon neutrality, and to leveraging improved health outcomes in communities suffering from air pollution and other climate impacts.” Continue reading
Strange Green Bedfellows – Stellantis and Aramco
Low carbon eFuel is a drop-in synthetic fuel made by reacting CO2, captured either directly from the atmosphere or from an industrial facility, with renewable hydrogen. The use of low carbon eFuel has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from existing internal combustion vehicles by at least 70% on a lifecycle basis, compared to conventional fuels its advocates claim. Continue reading →