CLEANER ENGINES FOR CLEANER AIR: PROGRESS AND PROBLEMS IN REDUCING AIR POLLUTION FROM AUTOMOBILES

A REVIEW TO IDENTIFY THE PROGRESS MADE AND THE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN CONTROLLING AUTO-CAUSED AIR POLLUTION IS REPORTED. THE REVIEW ENCOMPASSED THE APPLICABLE LEGISLATIVE HISTORY; THE REGULATIONS, POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND PRACTICES OF THE OFFICE OF AIR PROGRAMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLE CONTROLS; AND IN-HOUSE AND CONTRACTOR EFFORTS TO CONTROL EMISSIONS FROM MOTOR VEHICLES. THE FOLLOWING FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS WERE MADE: (1) CONTROL RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE BEEN DISPERSED THROUGHOUT THE OFFICE'S ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, LEADING TO INSTABILITY AND A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS. (2) WHILE EMISSIONS CAN BE MEASURED FOR COMPLIANCE DURING DESIGN, PRODUCTION, OR USE, THE OFFICE'S PROGRAM HAS BEEN LIMITED TO THE FIRST, I.E., CERTIFICATION OF PROTOTYPE CARS AS MEETING EMISSION STANDARDS. IN ADDITION, THE OFFICE HAS DILUTED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS PROGRAM BY PERMITTING MANUFACTURER TO EMPLOY UNTRUSTWORTHY CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES. (3) TARDILY TAKEN INITIATIVES HAVE JEOPARDIZED THE OFFICE'S RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND TESTING PROGRAM AND LED TO THE MANUFACTURERS' ASSUMING THIS FUNCTION, WITH INADEQUATE CONTROLS EXERCISED BY THE OFFICE. (4) THE OFFICE'S SEARCH FOR AN UNCONVENTIONAL, LOW-POLLUTANT AUTO ENGINE HAS MOVED SLOWLY AND IN TOO MANY DIRECTIONS.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • APP
• Corporate Authors:

  Environmental Protection Agency

  Dallas, TX  United States  75202
• Publication Date: 1972-5-15

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 65 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air quality management; Exhaust gases; Federal government; Organizations
• Uncontrolled Terms: Programs
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00224155
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 2 1973 12:00AM