New EPA Website On Tailpipe Emissions Incomplete

Environmental Defense commended the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for developing a website that helps the public to compare tailpipe pollution levels of vehicles, but urged EPA to quickly integrate information on fuel economy as well so that users get a more complete and accurate environmental picture.

“It is critical for consumers to weigh all the relative environmental costs of their vehicle choice into their buying decision,” said Environmental Defense attorney Kevin Mills. “Consumers can make a difference by choosing the cleanest-burning and most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets their needs.”

“In the coming years, there will be more variability than usual in the tailpipe pollution levels of different vehicles on the market,” said Mills. “Therefore, it is an important time to spotlight and simplify EPA’s tailpipe pollution certification levels. The new website makes this information more accessible.”

But consumers need to know about fuel economy as well, since carbon dioxide emissions from burning gas contributes to the problem of climate change. EPA and the Department of Energy (DOE) also publish information on fuel economy (www.fueleconomy.gov), but running separate sites makes it too difficult for the public to access the information they need and also creates difficulties in interpreting how different parts of a particular vehicle’s environmental profile relate.

Impacts from the manufacturing and disposal of vehicles are also important environmental issues but public data does not support comparisons of products on these parameters. Information on these manufacturing and disposal impacts is provided by Environmental Defense at www.environmentaldefense.org/greencar on the web.

“Over 90,000 people have pledged through the Clean Car Campaign (www.cleancarcampaign.org) to buy the cleanest vehicle that meets their needs and have challenged automakers to offer cleaner-built, cleaner-running vehicle choices,” said Mills. “Consumers need to have effective tools to act on their convictions.”