Independent Regulatory Review Commission Approves Clean Vehicles Program
The
state's Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) voted 4-1 today
to approve implementation of the Pennsylvania Clean Vehicles Program,
which will bring cleaner cars to Pennsylvania. The program is supported
by public health and citizens groups, including the Pennsylvania Parent
Teachers Association, the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, and
the American Lung Association of Pennsylvania.
With
approval from the five member IRRC—and the expected sign-off from the
Attorney General’s office—the program, which applies to new cars and
trucks sold in Pennsylvania starting with model year 2008 models, can
be fully adopted by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
There is, however, legislation pending in the state House of
Representatives that would block the Clean Vehicles Program from being
fully implemented.
“Today’s
vote is very good news for Pennsylvania’s environment and public
health,” said Nathan Willcox, energy and clean air advocate for
PennEnvironment. “Once adopted, the Clean Vehicles Program will be a
critical step towards cutting the air pollution that triggers more than
300,000 asthma attacks annually in the Commonwealth.”
Smog
pollution is known to trigger asthma, and is responsible for the “code
red” pollution days during summer months across the Commonwealth. DEP
estimates that annual emissions of smog-forming pollutants from cars
and trucks will drop by roughly 10 percent by 2025 as a result of the
Clean Vehicles Program. It is also expected that the program will
result in a 10 percent cut in annual toxic benzene pollution and a
nearly 25 percent reduction in annual global warming pollution from
cars and trucks in Pennsylvania by 2025.
Public
support for the Clean Vehicles Program was made clear earlier this
year, during a public comment period conducted by the state’s
Environmental Quality Board. Roughly 4,800 Pennsylvanians commented in
support of the program, including 1,500 PennEnvironment activists. The
program is also supported by groups including the American Lung
Association of Pennsylvania, Physicians for Social Responsibility,
Women’s Health & Environmental Network, Pennsylvania State Nurses
Association, the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, and the Pennsylvania
Parent Teachers Association. Also, 10 other states—including New York
and New Jersey—have already adopted the same standards.
Despite
the clear potential benefits of the Clean Vehicles Program and the
public support behind it, some state legislators have worked with
industry lobbyists to push legislation that would block adoption of the
program. This legislation (SB 1025) had been stalled since the spring,
but almost received a full floor vote in the state House of
Representatives in October. Environmental and public health advocates
fought hard against the bill’s movement, and will once again take up
the fight should the state House choose to bring the bill up for a vote
in its upcoming lame duck session.
“Pennsylvania
can’t afford to take steps backward in the fight against air pollution,
but that’s exactly what this bill would unfortunately do,” said
Willcox. “PennEnvironment urges the House of Representatives to support
the Clean Vehicles Program by rejecting SB 1025.”
