EPA nominee would review Clinton diesel rules

This is from www.just-auto.com:

USA: EPA nominee would review Clinton diesel rules
18 Jan 2001
Source: Reuters


WASHINGTON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect George W. Bush's nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency told senators on Wednesday she would review diesel fuel rules released last month by the Clinton administration to see if changes are needed.
New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee at her confirmation hearing that the incoming administration has an "obligation to review all pending rules...and we will do that in this case."

The new rules, which take effect in 2006, are aimed at curbing sooty particles spewed from diesel-powered trucks, cleaning up the air for children, the elderly and others with asthma and respiratory ailments.

The regulations capped a series of actions by the Clinton administration to tighten pollution restrictions on tailpipe emissions and sport utility vehicles.

Whitman told Senator Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, that she shared his concerns about air quality.

"I think we need to look at all the ways we need to clean our environment and... motorised transport has been a large part of the problem," Whitman said.

As head of the EPA, Whitman said she would try to craft rules that meet environmental goals at the least cost to the economy. "We need to ensure balance and that's what I'm going to do," she said.

The stricter rules prepared by the Clinton administration have been vigorously opposed by U.S. oil refiners, who have said they will ask Bush and Congress to amend the rules and delay the effective date until 2008.

Under the new restrictions, American refiners will have to reduce sulphur in diesel fuel to 15 parts per million by 2006, compared to a current level of 500 parts per million.

Oil, trucking and retailing groups have warned that the rules will mean higher diesel prices and fewer supplies.

If she decides to "review" the rules she should open it up to a public comment period, at which time anyone who wishes could send in comments and they will be put on the official record.

I was waiting for this one. lil' bush doesn't want hi$ rich (oil biz) friends to have to clean up their refineries. That will cost them $$$, and besides who really cares about the environment anyway? (I DO!)

We all saw his environmental record in Texas. Need I say more?

Putting the Ex Gov. of NJ as the EPA head is a about as sensible as putting a felon in the Attorney Generals office. Anyone who drove that turnpike knows what I mean!

All you that don't agree with me, let's just wait and see. For the bush team $$$=everything, environment=nothing

Talk about smoke, get ready for more to be blown up your A$$!

I hope i'm proven wrong, but!

Vielen Danke, Eolair, for digging up this link for us. It sometimes seems to me that Europeans have better news coverage of what goes on in the U.S.A. than we do! Certainly better than our coverage of European news!
Anyway, this news demonstrates why I did NOT vote for Mr. Bush. Reviewing these "pending" regulations will most likely result in further delays in our quest for cleaner diesel fuel.
What little I have been able to read about Christine Todd Whitman concerns her record as Governor of New Jersey, where she was said to be at least somewhat sympathetic to environmental concerns, which would lead me to hope that perhaps after this review, that not all would be lost. Most news coverage during her term as Governor involved reports on her reducing New Jersey state taxes. One practical change that I experienced first hand is the change of the speed limit on the New Jersey Turnpike, from 55 MPH (almost 90 km/h) to 65 mph (about 105 km/h). Also fuel in New Jersey became less expensive than in neighboring Delaware, or even Maryland, for that matter. Fuel used to be more expensive in New Jersey. Of course, none of these changes are particularly beneficial to the environment, as they only seem to encourage people to buy bigger trucks.

[This message has been edited by cars wanted (edited January 19, 2001).]

www.just-auto.com is doing international news. I think they are US based. But their info is rather industry than consumer orientated.
I´ve some good car orientated news-sites around the world: http://www.drive.com.au/ (Australia) http://www.thecarconnection.com/ (US) http://www.topcar.co.za/ (South Africa) http://www.canadiandriver.com/ (Canada) http://www.uol.com.br/bestcars/ (Brasil / in Portuguese) http://www.autouniversum.de/ (Germany 7 in German) http://www.autorai.nl/ (Netherlands / in Dutch) http://www.automagazine.be/ (Belgium / in Dutch or French) http://www.automobilrevue.ch/ (Switzerland / in German)

At http://www.topcar.co.za/roadtest/index.htm
you will find a test of a VW Golf TDI and the journalist is lyric about the cars engine.


"No doubt, the diesel trend looks rosy and South African motorists may well be finally latching onto a concept that has cornered upwards of 50 percent of total car sales in some European countries."
"It’s the perceptions of the general public that still need working on, however. Many remain unaware of the virtues of diesel power. A bum in the seat of the TDI is all it will take to change that though.

Currently, however, VW is simply not able to satisfy the demand for the TDI, with long waiting lists suggesting that diesel power is becoming an increasingly popular solution for many.

Certainly we’ve changed our outlook. The TDI is a sure winner - and it’s our favourite for the COTY title!
"

Only one major concern is identified and that is a pretty good argument for the EPA to keep the plans for lowering the sulphur in diesel.

"The only concern that we do still have about diesel is with regard to the quality of the local fuel. Unfortunately this fuel source contains unacceptably high levels of sulphur - which, with prolonged use, could cause damage to a diesel engine’s working parts.

VW has addressed this issue by specifying particular engine-protecting lubricants specially formulated for diesel components. The future outlook bodes well too in that sulphur levels are set to be reduced in SA diesel (again it’s a cost issue), in line with more acceptable international standards.
"

As far as I know they have the same dirty diesel as you have in the US. Here in Sweden we only use diesel with less that 15 ppm sulphurcontent. The snow stays white that way.

The Swedish ABB will help the US company Murphy Oil USA,

ABB wins US$ 160-million clean fuels order in U.S.
Zurich, Switzerland, December 14, 2000 – ABB, the global technology company, said today it has won a US$ 160-million order to implement the major portion of a clean fuels project at Murphy Oil USA, Inc.’s refinery in Meraux, Louisiana, USA.
Under the terms of the contract, ABB is responsible for engineering, procurement and construction of the project, which is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2003. Murphy Oil USA, Inc. is a subsidiary of Murphy Oil Corporation.

Through its ABB Lummus Global unit, ABB will design and build a new hydrocracker, a new hydrotreater and a new central control room at the refinery. The project is aimed at allowing the Meraux facility to produce cleaner burning fuels, reduce emissions from the refinery, and to cost effectively meet future sulfur limits for gasoline and diesel.

“This project is in line with our goal to further develop our expertise in the area of low-emission production of cleaner transportation fuels,” said Gorm Gundersen, Executive Vice President and head of ABB’s Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals segment. “We are a recognized supplier of systems and equipment for clean fuel producers and we intend to build that position even further.”

ABB announced last month an order to modernize a Russian oil refinery to produce cleaner burning transportation fuels. ABB is also in alliances with the Chevron, Exxon and Shell oil companies to develop technology for making cleaner transportation fuels.


The Bush-administration makes me concerned on your behalf in this matter.