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Sierra Club Comparison of Clean Air Bills
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Sierra Club Comparison of Clean Air Bills
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FOIA Number: 2012-0769-F
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the William J. Clinton
Presidential Library Staff.
Collection/Record Group:
Clinton Presidential Records
Subgroup/Office of Origin:
Council on Environmental Quality
Series/Staff Member:
Kathleen (Katie) McGinty
Subseries:
OA/ID Number:
2894
FolderID:
Folder Title:
Sierra Club Comparison of Clean Air Bills
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61
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Clinton Presidential Records
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of digitization. To see the full publication please search online or
visit the Clinton Presidential Library's Research Room.
Comparison of Clean Air Bills
Congress will consider three sets of bills in
1990 that would reauthorize the Clean Air Act:
the Senate Environment Committee bill, S. 1630;
the Bush-Dingell bill, H.R. 3030; and the
Waxman-Lewis Smog and Leland Air Toxics bills,
H.R. 2323 and H.R. 2585. The following section
is a side-by-side comparison of these bills that
identifies which provisions hold the best promise
for clearing the nation's air.
Sierra Club
JANUARY 1990
SIERRA
CLUB
408 C Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 202-547-1141
1992
SENATE AUTO PROVISIONS ACHIEVE MORE SMOG REDUCTIONS
Generally, the Senate provisions regulating emissions from gasoline
powered cars, buses and trucks would achieve greater reductions in carbon
monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), and nitrogen oxides (NOX) (HC and NOX are
the chief components of ozone smog). In addition, these reductions would
occur sooner. Motor vehicle emissions are the number one source of urban
smog. The swiftest, steepest reductions are needed to achieve healthful air
for millions of Americans.
The Senate motor vehicle provisions have the following advantages over the
House provisions.
The first round of auto tailpipe emission reductions are required sooner.
The first round of auto tailpipe standards are much tougher because cars
have to meet the standards "in use" (on the road) as well as in test labs.
The in use compliance requirement assures that new cars will start out cleaner
and stay cleaner over the years. This is critical for achieving clean air by
the year 2000 in Cleveland, Dallas, Washington, and many other cities.
The second round of tailpipe reductions are not mandatory in either bill.
However, these reductions are more likely to take effect under the Senate bill
because they are triggered based on the number of cities still violating
health standards by the end of the decade. The House bill allows EPA and OMB
to decide whether additional reductions should be required, based on technical
feasibility, cost, and need. A second round of tailpipe emission reductions
is needed in the 21st century to offset smog from the increase in cars and
traffic.
CO emissions from new cars starting in cold weather would be 70 percent
lower by the year 2000 under the Senate bill. This stricter "cold start"
standard is especially critical for Denver, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, and
other western and northern cites.
*
Controls on evaporative emissions from engines would be implemented sooner.
"On-board canisters" to trap vapors from refueling systems have a firmer
implementation deadline.
Emissions of particulates from diesel buses a probable human carcinogen,
according to EPA would be reduced two years sooner.
"Middle weight" trucks (5700-8500 pounds) would have lower emission
standards under the Senate bill.
The Senate bill would not preempt states from regulation emissions from off-
road engines and farm vehicles. The House bill does preempt such state laws.
Reductions in emissions from heavy trucks would be written into the law,
while the truck standards in the House bill could be weakened by EPA and OMB.
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe." John Muir
National Headquarters: 730 Polk Street, San Francisco, California 94109 (415) 776-2211
PRINTED ON RECYLCLED PAPER
HOUSE INDUSTRIAL SMOG CONTROLS WOULD ACHIEVE MORE SMOG REDUCTIONS
The Sierra Club urges the Senate conferees to accept the House
provisions on industrial smog, and the House conferees to accept the Senate
provisions on transportation control measures.
The House provisions requiring reductions of NOX and HC from industrial
polluters is preferable to the Senate provisions because it mandates more
polluters to install clean up equipment. The House bill retains the current
law's requirement that cities use all the available pollution control measures
to meet health standards as soon as possible. Finally, it contains tighter
deadlines and tougher enforcement provisions.
The House bill requires that the federal government develop and
implement an effective cleanup plan if a state fails to do so, as required
under the existing Clean Air Act. The Senate bill gives the federal
government the authority to act, but does not actually require the federal
government to issue a comprehensive cleanup plan if a state fails to do SO.
Although the federal government has rarely implemented a plan, the threat of
federal implementation encourages states to prepare and implement plans. Los
Angeles, Phoenix, and other cities began clean up only after the threat of
federal implementation.
The Senate bill would provide a cost waiver that would immunize
industrial polluters from requirements to make needed annual pollution
reduction requirements after the first few years. The House bill does not
include this loophole.
Major sources of smog are defined differently by the two bill. The
House language requires controls on 100 ton sources of HC in moderately
polluted cities, such as Detroit, 50-ton sources in serious areas, such as
Cleveland, 25 tons in severe areas, such as Houston and New York, and 10 tons
in extreme areas (only Los Angeles). The Senate bill controls only 100 ton
sources, except tin the nine most polluted cities, where the cut off is 50
tons.
The Senate bill is better because it would require the smoggiest cities
to adopt more effective measures to reduce traffic congestion and vehicle use.
And it would all states to use federal transportation funds to finance transit
and other smog-reducing measures in polluted areas.
July 25, 1990
SIERRA
CLUB
SIERRA
CONTENNA
NIAL
408 C Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 202-547-1141
1442-1492
7/31/90
EPA LINKS DIESEL EXHAUST TO CANCER
Clean Air Bill Needed to Reduce Health Risk
A recently released draft of an EPA health assessment definitively confirmed the
link between diesel exhaust and cancer in humans.
Cancer-causing organic compounds and sulfuric acids cling to the tiny particles in
diesel fuel. When released into the air, these particles lodge themselves deep in the
lungs. "Eventually lungs clear out the particle but leave behind the other substances,"
according to Jeanette Wiltse, deputy director of the EPA's health assessment office.
Symptoms of acute exposure to high levels of diesel exhaust include nose and eye
irritation, headache, light-headedness, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, weakness, numbness,
chest tightness, and wheezing.
Chronic exposure to diesel fumes can cause cancer. 274,000 metric tons of
carcinogenic diesel particulates were released into the air during 1986. EPA estimates
that in 1986 diesel exhaust caused lung cancer in 178 to 860 Americans. Many workers
are regularly exposed to diesel fumes. Studies of occupational exposure show significant
increased incidence of certain cancers among heavy equipment operators, railroad
workers, transportation equipment operators, and truck drivers.
The preliminary EPA study classifies diesel emissions as "probable human
carcinogens."
Pending Clean Air Bills Reduce Diesel Pollution
"Clean fuels" program for diesel-fueled urban buses will reduce deadly diesel emissions.
Senate bill:
House bill:
"applies to cities of more than 1 million
applies to cities of more than 750,000
0.1 grams per brake horsepower-hour
similar, except starting in 1993
(g/bhp-hr) standard for all new
buses starting in 1992
retrofitting all buses when overhauled to
similar, except starting in 1996
meet 0.1 g/bhp-hr standard starting in 1992
Additional provisions further reduce deadly diesel emissions.
Mandatory desulfurization of motor vehicle diesel fuel would reduce diesel
particulate emissions and limit aromatic hydrocarbons.
The House bill's "clean fuel" fleet program requires heavy-duty diesel vehicles to
use cleaner fuel.
Stricter tailpipe standards for diesel cars would reduce diesel emissions.
Tough emission standards for off-road vehicles would curb diesel fumes.
Protect Public Health, Urge House Conferees to Pass a Clean Air Bill NOW!
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe." John Muir
National Headquarters: 730 Polk Street, San Francisco, California 94109 (415) 776-2211
PRINTED ON RECYLCLED PAPER
A4 Tm RSDAY, JULY 19, 1990
THE WASHINGTON POST
operators and bladder cancer
EPA Links Diesel Fumes to Cancer
among railroad workers, according
to the EPA survey.
Both houses of Congress have
Study Expected to Stir Congressional Debate on Clean Air Act
passed bills with tougher provisions
for diesel-fueled buses, the most
graphic type of air pollution in many
durable, efficient diesel engines. Up
Office of Health and Environmental
inner cities. Both bills would phase
By Michael Weisskopf
to 20 percent of highway vehicles
Assessment, scientists pulled to-
in low-polluting fuels to replace die-
Wishington Post Staff Wnter
are diesel.
gether more recent laboratory
sel, with the House proposing com-
The black fumes emitted by die-
Although Congress required the
studies on animals and surveys of
plete conversion by 1996 and the
sel-fueled buses and trucks prob-
EPA in 1977 to control toxic par-
workers exposed to diesel partic-
Senate by 1994.
ably cause cancer in humans, ac-
ticles emitted by diesel-powered
ulates. The findings are preliminary
Both houses also seek to curb
cording to an Environmental Pro-
cars, rules proposed for trucks and
and subject to review by outside
pollution from so-called "off-
tection Agency study released yes-
buses were shelved by the Reagan
experts.
highway" vehicles, including con-
terday.
administration until 1988. The EPA
According to the study, high lev-
struction and farm equipment. Al-
Although earlier studies have
only drafted regulations after losing
els of exposure to the fumes can
though the House provision would
linked diesel fumes to cancer, the
a federal court suit brought by en-
cause a series of temporary acute
give the EPA discretion to set stan-
EPA study is the most authoritative
vironmentalists.
symptoms, including headaches,
dards after conducting a study, the
confirmation yet of health dangers
The EPA first classified diesel
eye irritation, nausea, vomiting,
Senate calls on the agency to esti-
from the smoke that many city
particulates as a carcinogen in 1983
numbness, wheezing, heartburn and
mate the pollution from off-highway
dwellers consider the most irritat-
by comparing the compounds of
chest tightness.
vehicles and draft emission controls
ing and visible form of pollution.
diesel exhaust to other combustion
In the long term, cancer is the
for significant sources.
The assessment is expected to
products known to cause cancer.
greatest threat, the report con-
fuel debate in the House-Senate
Diesel fuel exhaust contains tiny
cluded.
conterence on Clean Air Act revi-
particles that absorb sulfuric acids
Laboratory animals forced to In-
sions, where provisions approved
and cancer-causing volatile organic
hale diesel particulate exhaust de-
by each chamber seek to curb emis-
compounds, and burrow deep into
veloped lung tumors, the study said.
sions of diesel trucks, buses and
the lungs.
Application of the pollutant to the
construction equipment.
"Eventually lungs clear out the
skin also produced tumors.
Fewer than 2 percent of U.S.
particle but leave behind the other
Worker studies showed a signif-
passenger cars run on diesel fuel.
substances," said Jeanette Wiltse,
icantly increased incidence of liver
But most of the hundreds of thou-
deputy director of the EPA's health
cancer among heavy equipment op-
sands of heavy trucks and buses
assessment office.
erators, lung cancer among truck
sold yearly are equipped with the
In yesterday's study by EPA's
drivers and transport equipment