Release 06-37

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 22, 2006

 

CONTACT:

Jerry Martin 
Gennet Paauwe 
(916) 322-2990 
www.arb.ca.gov

 

Statement by California Air Resources Board Chairman Dr. Robert Sawyer on

USEPA’s Approval of California’s Waiver Request for Zero Emission Vehicles

 

California received an early Christmas present from Washington today in the form of a waiver for our Zero Emission Vehicle regulations.  With this waiver, California and the other ten states that have adopted our ZEV regulations can expect emission-free vehicles powered by fuel cells or batteries on their roads starting by 2009. 

 

The waiver also allows California to enforce its requirement for other near zero technologies, such as hybrid electric vehicles or the increasingly popular Partial Zero Emission Vehicles (PZEVs).  These gasoline powered vehicles are armed with the world’s cleanest tailpipe standard, zero evaporative emission technology and a 15 year, 150,000 mile warranty on emission control equipment.  Already, there are hundreds of thousands of these popular, modest priced cars on the roads and this waiver assures us of millions more within the next few years. 

 

This is a real Christmas gift for all of us.  All Californians will breathe easier because of this measure and the technology that makes these clean cars possible can now be made available to everyone.

 

Dr. Robert Sawyer,

Chairman,

California Air Resources Board

 

         The Air Resources Board is a department of the California Environmental Protection Agency.  ARB's mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy.  The ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health based air quality standards.

The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy cost, see our web site at http://www.arb.ca.gov

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