California, a leader in seeking for ways to curtail greenhouse gas emissions, is considering its next steps. Politico reports that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is voting on new regulations governing cars sold in the Golden State.
Who -- or what -- is the California Air Resources Board?
CARB traces back its history to 1967 and the passage of the Mulford-Carrell Act under then-Gov. Ronald Reagan. The board is the result of a consolidation of the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board. It is the 11-member board's stated mission to "promote and protect public health, welfare and ecological resources through the effective and efficient reduction of air pollutants, while recognizing and considering the effects on the state's economy." Board memberships are filled by gubernatorial appointment.
What is the Advanced Clean Cars program?
In an effort to further reduce smog-causing substances and greenhouse gas emissions, CARB proposes to influence carmakers' manufacturing practices for vehicles to be sold in California. Referred to as the "Advanced Clean Cars" program, CARB proposes regulations that affect allowable emissions of new cars and trucks sold between 2017 and 2025.
What is the goal of the regulations?
In order to achieve the decrease of pollutants and emissions, California drivers are encouraged to choose more zero-emission vehicles or plug-in hybrids for their daily drivers. By 2025, successful implementation of the regulations would result in a 75 percent reduction of smog-causing pollutants. Moreover, greenhouse gas emission would be reduced by about 34 percent. "These rules will make California the advanced car capital of the world, driving the innovation, patents and technology that will generate thousands of jobs here, and set the stage for us to compete in the global clean car marketplace," the board's news release highlights.
What does this mean for consumers?
The program summary highlights that -- on average -- there will be a price increase of $1,900 per vehicle. This is offset by a net lifetime savings of $4,000, largely comprised of fuel savings.
Are the car makers on board?
The Mercury News points out that automakers are unlikely to fight the new proposed California clean car rules. "In the summer of 2008, gasoline hit $4 a gallon. We couldn't keep our most fuel-efficient vehicles on dealers' lots," the publication quotes a spokesperson for the American Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. Since plenty of manufacturers are already developing (or have developed) plug-in hybrids or electric vehicles, it stands to reason that this move is simply accepted as the future direction of the industry.
Sylvia Cochran is a Los Angeles area resident with a firm finger on the pulse of California politics. Talk radio junkie, community volunteer and politically independent, she scrutinizes the good and the bad from both sides of the political aisle.
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