WASHINGTON - President Bill Clinton unveiled sweeping new rules yesterday to improve the nation's air quality by drastically cutting tailpipe emissions and sulphur in gasoline.
"These measures will assure every American cleaner air well into the 21st century. It will prevent thousands of premature deaths and protect millions of our children from respiratory disease. It will be the most dramatic improvement in air quality since the catalytic converter was first introduced a quarter century ago," Clinton said.
Under the new rules, auto makers would for the first time be required to build light trucks and sport utility vehicles subject to the same national pollution control standards as passenger cars. For gasoline, the new rules would lower sulphur emissions by 90 percent over a five-year period, beginning in 2004.
High sulphur levels in gasoline are blamed for clogging vehicles' catalytic converters, which control tailpipe emissions and reduce pollution.
Environmentalists applauded the steps, which fulfil anti-pollution goals in the 1990 Clean Air Act by mandating a first-ever reduction in both tailpipe and gasoline pollution.
"By closing the loophole that allows SUVs (sport utility vehicles) to pollute three to five times more than the average car, the administration is giving us the promise of clean air this holiday season," said Michelle Robinson, senior advocate for the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Clinton said the regulations would clean 2 million tons (2.03 million tonnes) of smog from the air starting next decade and provide widespread health benefits, especially for asthmatic children.
The president announced the rules at a Washington elementary school, joined by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Carol Browner and children's health experts.
AUTO MAKERS SAY MEETING NEW RULES A CHALLENGE
The EPA and the auto industry said the costs to auto makers would average about $100 per car and $200 per SUV to meet the new benchmark.
Gasoline prices would rise from 1 to 2 cents per gallon, according to the EPA, but oil refiners said refitting their plants would cost about $5 billion, closer to 6 cents per gallon.
A senior official at Ford Motor Co. said the new EPA rules were a challenge but that the company was up to it.
"Although these rules present formidable challenges, Ford is prepared to meet or exceed them," said Helen Petrauskas, Ford vice president for environmental and safety engineering.
General Motors Corp., the world's No. 1 car manufacturer, said it too would meet the challenge and pushed for the development of zero-sulphur fuels to help cut pollution faster.
"We appreciate EPA's recognition that autos and fuels must be treated as an integrated system to achieve air quality goals," said Dennis Minano, GM vice president for environment and energy, and chief environmental officer.
According to industry consultant Autodata Corp., SUV sales rose 15.4 percent for the first 11 months of 1999, with their share of the truck market at 38.7 percent versus 37.2 percent.
SUVs, LIGHT TRUCKS TARGETED
The EPA is seeking a 77 percent reduction for car tailpipe emissions and up to a 95 percent cut for trucks and SUVs over five years, starting in 2004.
For gasoline, new rules would lower sulphur emissions to 30 parts per million from the current national average of 330 parts per million.
Oil refining industry officials said the Clinton administration move could affect fuel supplies.
"The final EPA rule imposes California's current state gasoline sulphur regulations on the entire U.S.," said Urvan Sternfels, president of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association.
"We are concerned that extending these limits to the whole country could lead to supply and price instability nationwide, similar to that which California experienced earlier this year," Sternfels said.