“Clean cars” now required in Washington to keep our air and people healthier

Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release - June 18, 2008

08-170

“Clean cars” now required in Washington to keep our air and people healthier

OLYMPIA – Washington’s air is becoming cleaner, thanks to the state’s new “clean cars” standards.

Many new vehicles now must have more stringent pollution controls to be registered for use in Washington. The standards apply to 2009 model year passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles (such as most vans and SUVs). They don’t apply to vehicles already owned by Washington residents.

In 2005, Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Washington Legislature adopted California’s auto emissions standards. Since then, the departments of Licensing and Ecology have worked with automakers, auto dealers and licensing agents to prepare for the new standards and for changes in vehicle licensing and registration.

“We know that a major driver of Washington's economy is our incredible natural environment. It's a big reason people want to live and raise a family here. So these new standards are good news not only for our air quality, but for working families. By 2020, the new standards will have removed from our air the pollution equivalent of 200,000 cars,” Gov. Gregoire said.

Licensing Director Liz Luce said, “Before you buy a 2009 model vehicle outside our state, you should be careful to make sure it meets California emissions standards. If the vehicle doesn’t meet the standards, it can’t be licensed in Washington.”

Ecology Director Jay Manning said, “Having these standards will improve air quality in Washington, and prevent toxic threats from harming our citizens and the environment.”

The standards are part of the state’s effort to cut air toxics, climate-changing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and smog-forming emissions produced by cars and trucks. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has blocked the greenhouse gas standards, but other emission standards will go into effect as scheduled.

Gov. Gregoire said, “I'm disappointed that the White House has so far blocked our ability to also reduce climate-changing carbon dioxide emissions in new cars. But we have gone to court to overcome the obstacle, and I believe we will prevail.”

The new standards that are going into effect offer a number of benefits:

They reduce cancer-causing air toxics such as benzene and formaldehyde. EPA estimates that mobile sources of air toxics account for as much as half of all cancers attributed to outdoor sources of air toxics. They also reduce ozone-forming pollutants in our air such as volatile organic compounds and oxides of nitrogen. Unhealthy air threatens our health by contributing to asthma, cancer and other lung and heart diseases. Especially at risk are children, people age 60 and older, and people with respiratory problems.
Vehicles operate more efficiently, so you will spend less money on fuel each month. Using less fuel means we reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Model year 2009 and newer vehicles won’t need emissions checks that now are required in some areas of the state.

Washington, Oregon and at least 14 other states have adopted the California emissions standards. These states have joined together to oppose EPA’s denial of the greenhouse gas standards.

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Ecology media contact:
Seth Preston, Ecology communications manager, 360-407-6848; spre461@ecy.wa.gov
DOL media contact: Brad Benfield, DOL, 360-902-3723; bbenfield@dol.wa.gov
Learn more about “clean cars”: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/cleancars.htm; http://www.dol.wa.gov/
See the standards: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/wac173423.pdf