Tag Archives: epa

U.S. DOT Proposes Elimination of 46 Traffic Sign Regulations

In the regulatory areas that AutoInformed covers, little reduction has resulted at DOT, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) thus far. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, news analysis, results, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Flames Instead of Primer in New GM Paint Process for Plastic

Emissions from the painting of automobiles have been steadily decreasing under environmental laws as a variety of paint process technologies including water based paints and other new materials that eliminate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other emissions, electric coating methods and the now the almost exclusive use of robots to precisely spray coatings have become standard. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, environment, manufacturing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ford and Toyota to Develop a New Hybrid System for Light Trucks and SUVs as well as Future Telematics Standards

Both companies of course are heavily invested in fuel thirsty larger trucks, with Ford’s best selling vehicle the F-Series pickup rated at 16 mpg on the EPA city test cycle. The F-Series has been the U.S.’s best selling truck for the past 34 years with year-to-date sales of 313,000 units. Toyota before the Great Recession invested billions in full-size trucks and SUVs. Both the Tundra pickup and Sequoia full-size SUV have been sales disasters. Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, electric vehicles, environment, fuel economy or emissions, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Department of Interior Breaks U.S. Laws But Gets Taxpayer Funded Pass from Environmental Protection Agency Fine

The settlement, which basically grants DOI immunity from further prosecution for its illegal actions, is the latest example of the federal bureaucracy protecting itself from itself. If a private corporation were involved in this matter huge punitive fines would have been levied and the prosecution of executives would have been a distinct possibility. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, environment, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

EPA Affirms Air Quality Standards for Carbon Monoxide. However, Monitoring to Look At Cities Near Roadways

More than 45 million people who attend school, live near, commute, or work on or near transportation routes have their health placed at risk by exposure to carbon monoxide and other traffic pollutants. Lack of adequate monitoring has meant that they cannot adequately know the threats to their health, and has limited research and cleanup,” said Charles D. Connor, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Lung Association. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, environment, fuel economy or emissions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

EPA Approves Emergency Fuel Waiver for Tennessee

The waiver is effective for 20 days and allows the sale of 9.0 psi conventional gasoline in the Shelby county low RVP covered area even though it is contrary to the Clean Air Act. In essence EPA is tolerating the sale of fuel that contributes to smog because it will head off a fuel supply crisis, a good example of common sense by regulators. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, environment, fuel economy or emissions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

President Obama to Announce First Fuel Economy Regulations for Heavy Trucks, Buses. $50 Billion in Fuel Savings Claimed

The complicated standards vary by size and type of truck, and whether gasoline or diesel engines are used. However they appear stringent, calling for a 7-20% reduction in emissions with roughly corresponding increases in fuel economy. Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, energy, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, milestones, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

President Obama Unveils 54.5 MPG Fuel Economy Regulation for 2017-25. Will it Alter Vehicle Choices and Increase Costs?

In a thirteen minute speech in Washington this morning, President Obama revealed his proposal for doubling the fuel economy of vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2025. This proposal, which will apply to cars and light trucks sold during model years 2017 to 2025, establishes a global warming pollution standard of 163 grams of CO2 per mile per new vehicle by 2025—the equivalent of 54.5 mpg if all the improvements are met through actual increases in fuel-efficiency. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, economy, electric vehicles, energy, environment, fuel economy or emissions, news analysis, people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

EPA Wants to Eliminate a Vapor Recovery Regulation

In a statement the EPA said the “proposal is part of the Obama Administration’s initiative to review outdated and redundant rules and ensure that regulations are beneficial without being unnecessarily burdensome to American businesses.” (Well, yes, but it’s redundant because another regulation was put in place without limiting the life of the existing one.) Continue reading

Posted in auto news, environment, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

EPA Tightens Airplane Emissions Rules as U.S. Carriers Sue EU

The new EPA standards, lacking a CO2 component that automakers are subject to via fuel economy rules, were either previously adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), or agreed on at ICAO’s Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) in 2010.

Critics say American airlines have a long history of actively seeking to disrupt all measures to cut climate changing emissions. The legal case is another cynical attempt to derail a modest and cost effective climate initiative. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, aviation, environment, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

EPA Proposes 2012 Renewable Fuel, ‘13 Biomass Diesel Volumes. Cellulosic Lags Law by almost 500 Million Gallons

The bulk of the program is comprised of ethanol production that is heavily subsidized, while imports of less expensive, more efficient sugar cane versions are effectively blocked by taxes. Currently U.S. taxpayers are handing agribusiness a subsidy of about $7 billion annually to use corn to make ethanol, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Continue reading

Posted in auto news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Electric Utility Coal Ash Safety Plans Released by EPA

Electric vehicles, the current technology in favor by special interest groups who want their use mandated as well as subsidized by taxpayers, raise many legitimate environmental concerns since half the electricity in the United States is generated by burning coal. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, electric vehicles, energy, environment, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tougher Vehicle Economy Standards to Save Billions in Costs?

Pressure or advocacy groups rarely – if ever – acknowledge that higher fuel economy standards are controversial, and they usually don’t explore the soundness of their assumptions. (Ever see a California Air Resources Board assessment of the cost of its aborted electric vehicle mandate of the 1990s?) Continue reading

Posted in auto news, economy, electric vehicles, energy, environment, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Lousy Economy Lowers U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Emissions in 2009 represent the lowest total U.S. annual GHG emissions since 1995. These numbers reflect the most up to date data at the time of publication. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, economy, energy, environment, news analysis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

House Passes GOP Attack on EPA Regulation of Greenhouse Gases after Senate Blocks it

The House vote was symbolic because the Senate has killed the matter – and in the views of critics a complete waste of taxpayer’s money. Thus a contentious attack on the Clean Air Act will end for the moment, but only for a moment. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, environment, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment