AAA supported action taken by the House Transportation Committee this week to give Senate Bill 1025 (Madigan-R-Bradford) a vote by all House members. Senate Bill 1025, a bipartisan effort, allows lawmakers adequate time to evaluate the cost and benefits of unique California vehicle emission standards.

In the interim, it extends Pennsylvania's use of the federal auto emissions standard, known as "Tier II".

Under federal law, states must adopt either the federal standard or the California standard. Forty states, including Pennsylvania, currently operate with the federal standard. An appointed committee within the state environmental department has adopted regulations to bring the California program to Pennsylvania.

AAA supports keeping the federal car standard in Pennsylvania. "This is not a debate between a dirty car and a clean car," said Ted Leonard, Executive Director of the PA AAA Federation. "Both the federal and California standards produce clean cars; otherwise the federal EPA would not have approved Pennsylvania's air improvement plans that contain the federal standard."

"More significantly," Leonard noted, "the evidence to date is that California's program is more costly, offers minimal potential benefit over the federal standard, and restricts consumer choice." If it adopts the California standard, the Commonwealth will be tied inextricably to any and all future changes made by the unelected California Air Resource Board, into which Pennsylvania has no input.

The California regulations, beginning in 2009, have been estimated to increase the cost of cars at least $1,000-$3,000 per comparable model. Under California imposed requirements, Pennsylvania consumers would have fewer choices because some car models especially fuel-economical, light-duty diesel passenger vehicles will not be allowed in Pennsylvania.

Under Senate Bill 1025, Pennsylvanians wishing to purchase a California car locally or even bring it to the Commonwealth will still have the freedom to do so.

"We think Senate Bill 1025, which keeps the federal car standard, is a better choice for Pennsylvania," said Leonard. "According to the federal EPA, the California car offers minimal future air quality improvement; at most 1-2 percent, and then only by the year 2020. California's program will be costly, restrict Pennsylvanians' vehicle choices and cedes absolute control to an unelected California committee. We're pleased to see the Transportation Committee give this bill a vote in the House and we strongly encourage its passage."

10/20/2006