A new system for labeling smog and greenhouse-gas emissions characteristics has been approved by California's Air Resources Board (CARB), the state's nationally influential regulatory body overseeing emissions.
The new label, which was called for as part of a bill signed into law by governor Schwarzenegger in 2005, appends the Smog Index label that has been required on new vehicles sold in California since the 1998 model year.
California is in an ongoing battle with the federal government over its jurisdiction for regulating carbon dioxide in vehicle emissions. The state wants to enforce tighter limits for CO2 beginning with the 2009 model year. Although the Supreme Court recently ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the power to regulate CO2 emissions nationally, the EPA has failed to announce any plan for a system of its own, or to give California the waiver needed to enforce the rule-likely through interference from the Bush administration.
It's expected that whether the state's regulation scheme for CO2 moves forward or not, automakers will be required to meet the new labeling rules. Eleven other states, including New York and all three West Coast states, are prepared to adopt California's new regulations, so the labels would likely be included on vehicles for sale in those states as well.
Under the new system, two scores-one for smog-forming emissions, one for carbon-dioxide-will be given on new-vehicle window stickers. Both will be have a simple score system from 1 to 10, with 10 being the cleanest.
The new Smog Scores will correspond to real emissions classifications. For instance, a ULEV vehicle will receive a 5, PZEVs will be 9, and ZEVs will get a 10. Based on 2007 model year vehicles, most vehicles rated 4 and 5, though the numbers will migrate upward. The system is set to be revisited for 2012.
With the so-called Global Warming Score, it would be the first notification of any sort to be required on new U.S. vehicles that directly associates carbon dioxide emissions with global warming.
CARB found a baseline for the Global Warming Score by looking at the statistical average for CO2 emissions among new U.S.-market vehicles, establishing that as 5 on the scale. The agency listed the Ford Crown Victoria, Toyota 4Runner, and Honda Odyssey as examples of vehicles achieving a 5.
In the executive summary for the report that accompanied the recently approved proposal, the group explained that consumers do not have a good understanding of the environmental factors as they relate to car choice. "Ultimately, consumer decisions to buy cleaner cars could result in lower emissions than would be achieved from regulating vehicles alone," the group said.
CARB had found that with the current system there were substantial differences in the way that individual manufacturers were presenting existing Smog Index labels, and the system was not always straightforward for shoppers. Under those current requirements, the Smog Index is generally a number under 1, and a lower Smog Index is cleaner. Manufacturers are allowed to vary the size, scale, and presentation-leading to some confusion when quickly comparing competing vehicles-so the new regulations specify a particular minimum size (six-inch by four-inch) and layout for the presentation of both Scores on the new-car Monroney, or window sticker.
The new graphic will clearly say "Protect the environment, choose vehicles with higher scores," and guide consumers to the site www.DriveClean.ca.gov.
The Air Resources Board estimates that the cost of implementing the new label program will cost the industry as a whole about $245,000.
According to CARB, Californians drive about 900 million vehicle miles each day, producing 2288 tons of smog-precursor emissions and 350,000 tons of global-warming-associated emissions.
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