Tuesday, July 30, 2002
FHWA 34-02
Contact: Lori Irving
Telephone: 202-366-0660
FHWA
Administrator Tells Congress Transportation, Environment Are Compatible Goals
Federal Highway Administrator Mary E. Peters today told the
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works that the U. S. Department of
Transportation’s efforts to improve mobility and the safety of surface
transportation while protecting the environment and enhancing the quality of
life for all communities are compatible goals.
“As a nation, we have made remarkable strides in reducing
air pollution that comes from transportation-related sources,” Peters said.
“Where transportation is a significant source of pollutants, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that ozone, carbon monoxide and
particulate matter have all decreased substantially since 1970.”
These reductions in emissions were accomplished during a period
of 33 percent increase in population, 147 percent growth in gross domestic
product, and 143 percent increase in vehicle miles traveled.
The automotive, fuels, highway, and transit communities have managed to
achieve this success in improving air quality while at the same time working to
address increasing demands to improve mobility.
The downward trend achieved in emissions is expected to
continue into the future. Engines
and fuels will become even cleaner under recent EPA-issued regulations for
emissions standards and cleaner fuel requirements. Between 2004 and 2007, more protective tailpipe emissions
standards will be phased in for all passenger vehicles, including sport utility
vehicles (SUVs), minivans, vans, and pick-up trucks. This regulation marks the
first time that larger SUVs and other light duty trucks will be subject to the
same national pollution standards as cars.
In addition, the EPA tightened standards for sulfur in gasoline,
which will ensure the effectiveness of low-emission control technologies in
vehicles and reduce harmful air pollution.
When the new tailpipe and
sulfur standards are implemented, Americans will benefit from the clean-air
equivalent of removing 164 million cars from the road. These new standards
require all passenger vehicles sold after the phase-in period to be 77 to 95
percent cleaner than those on the road today and will reduce the sulfur content
of gasoline by up to 90 percent.
Motor vehicle emissions will be reduced as new heavy-duty
vehicles that meet the 2004 emissions standards for heavy-duty engine standards
enter the fleet. Beginning with the
2007 model, heavy-duty engines for trucks and buses must meet even tighter
emissions standards, and the level of sulfur in diesel fuel must be reduced by
97 percent by mid-2006. As a
result, after a phase-in period, each new truck and bus will be more than 90
percent cleaner than current models.
In addition to tighter
standards, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has been working with
industry to develop and demonstrate low- and zero-emissions advanced propulsion
technologies for transit buses, including hybrid-electric, battery electric, and
fuel cell-powered buses. Under FTA/DOT
leadership, a national program is underway to accelerate the development and
commercial viability of these advanced technologies.
“The American public demands and deserves both mobility and clean air, and we must remain focused on providing the highest level of service and environmental protection that we can provide,” Peters said. “The Department of Transportation is committed to continuing the progress made over the last thirty years in reducing motor vehicle emissions and strongly supports the goals of the Clean Air Act’s transportation conformity provisions.”
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