AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO AUTO EMISSION CONTROL

THIS PAPER STUDIES THE COSTS OF TWO POSSIBLE POLICIES FOR CONTROLLING A MAJOR SOURCE OF AIR POLLUTION--AUTOMOBILE EMISSIONS. IT CONCLUDES THAT THE COSTS OF REDUCING AUTOMOBILE POLLUTANTS BY ENFORCING MANDATORY EMISSION STANDARDS ARE BOTH HIGHER AND LESS EQUITABLY ALLOCATED THAN THE COSTS OF AN ALTERNATIVE POLICY: A DIRECT TAX ON MOTOR VEHICLE EMISSIONS. THE TOTAL ECONOMIC COSTS OF THE MANDATORY EMISSION LEGISLATION WILL BE THE SUM OF HIGHER COSTS OF PRODUCING VEHICLES THAT SATISFY THE EMISSION STANDARDS, COSTS OF SERVICING THE NEW POLLUTION CONTROL SYSTEMS, AND HIGHER OPERATING COSTS WHICH ACCOMPANY REDUCED ENGINE EFFICIENCY AND THE USE OF MORE EXPENSIVE LOW-LEAD GASOLINES. SOME IDEA OF THE ACTUAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED DIRECT TAX ON AUTOMOBILE EMISSIONS IS DEDUCED BY A SIMPLE EXAMPLE. IF A CAR TRAVELLED 10,000 MILES DURING THE PRECEDING YEAR AND ITS POLLUTION CONTROL SYSTEM WAS MAINTAINED CORRECTLY, THEN THE TOTAL POLLUTION CONTROL TAX WOULD BE $8.75. IF, INSTEAD, THIS CAR'S POLLUTION CONTROL SYSTEM WAS NOT MAINTAINED CORRECTLY, ITS TAX WOULD RISE TO $67.50. /AUTHOR/

• Corporate Authors:

  N/A

  ,   United States 
• Authors:
  • Mancke, R B
• Publication Date: 1972

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 82-6
• Serial:
  • CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW
  • Volume: 14
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Southern Pacific Transportation Company

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air quality management; Costs; Taxation
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223879
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 31 2003 12:00AM