Sierra Research | 1997 CVS News Headlines

CARB Adopts Changes to OBD II Regulations Board Makes Modifications to Provide Additional Flexibility to Manufacturers (page 2)
Governor Wilson Appoints New Board Member, Dr. William F. Friedman, to Fill Spot Vacated by Dr. Boston Also, Board Member Vagim Retires (page 7)
Legislature Holds Another Committee Hearing on the Smog Check Program (page 7)
CARB Holds Workshop on Motor Vehicle Border Supply Issues Related to Amending California's Cleaner-Burning Gasoline Regulations (page 18)
1997 Legislative Session Begins With Introduction of Smog Check Legislation (page 20)
NAMVECC Meeting Highlights Differences Between California and Federal Perspectives on Future Emissions Standards for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks - EPA Forecasts Increasing Use of Diesels; CARB Forecasts Substantially Lower NOx Standards (page 21)
Rulemaking Calendar (page 23)

February 1997 – [Top Page]

I/M Review Committee Holds Another Meeting (page 1)
CARB Holds Meeting to Discuss ORVR/Stage II Compatibility Testing Program (page 10)
CARB Proposes Extension of Current Propene Limit for LPG (page 12)
CARB Announces That No "Clean-Fuel" Outlets Will Be Required for 1998 (page 13)
Analysis of Early-1996 BAR90 Smog Check Data Shows Little Change in Failure Rates, Increased Repair Cost (page 14)
Legislative Update (page 23)
Rulemaking Calendar (page 26)

March 1997

I/M Review Committee Holds Fourth Meeting (page 1)
CARB to Hold Workshops on Development of Scrappage Regulations Staff Proposal Contains Several Requirements That Will Reduce the Viability of Scrappage Programs (page 9)
CARB Holds Meeting to Discuss Results of CARB's ORVR/Stage II Compatibility Test Program Some Problems Observed (page 15)
Legislative Update Several New Bills Introduced: SB 679 and SB 772 Would Amend I/M Program, SB 521 Would Ban Use of MTBE (page 22)
Rulemaking Calendar (page 28)

April 1997 – [Top Page]

CARB Holds Workshops on Development of Scrappage Regulations for SIP Measure M1 (page 2)
Further Weakening of California I/M Program Under Consideration (page 10)
I/M Review Committee Hears Remote Sensing Presentations (page 11)
I/M Review Committee Adopts Equipment Recommendations (page 28)
BAR Proposes Emergency Smog Check II Regs (page 33)
CARB to Hold Workshops Regarding Emission Inventories (page 35)
EPA Holds Workshop on MOBILE6 Coordination with CARB Sought (page 37)
CARB Extends 10% Propene Limit for LPG Fuels Through 1998 (page 39)
CARB Issues Call for Data Regarding Production of Alternatively Fueled Vehicles (page 43)
Two Bills Proposing to Repeal Smog Check II Fail Senate Transportation Hearings; New Bill Sponsored by Sierra Club Would Tax Oil to Subsidize Purchase of Low-Emission Heavy-Duty and Marine Engines (page 44)
Rulemaking Calendar (page 58)

May 1997 – [Top Page]

BAR Holds Workshops on Preinspection Policy (page 2)
I/M Review Committee Adopts Repair Assistance and Vehicle Scrappage Recommendations (page 6)
Repair Assistance Subcommittee Meets to Discuss Funding Sources Implementation of a Gasoline "User Fee" Likely to be Supported by the Oil Industry (page 13)
CARB Proposes Supplementary Test Procedure (SFTP) Regulations Tier 1 and TLEV Requirements Similar to Federal Regulation; Separate Requirements Proposed for LEVs (page 15)
CARB to Hold Informational Hearing on the Role of Fuel Cell Technologies in the LEV Program Agency Is Selecting "Experts" to Serve on "Fuel Cell Technical Advisory Panel" to Assess Status of Fuel Cell Development (page 21)
CARB Holds Third Meeting of ZEV Implementation Advisory Committee Confrontations Appear to be Driving EV Supporters Towards Privatized Activities as CARB Focuses on Other ZEV Forums (page 22)
CARB Holds Workshop Regarding Emissions Inventory Update Few Changes Will Be Made Prior to November Hearing (page 27)
CARB Staff Schedules Workshops on Proposed Revised Tier II Standards for ULGE Engines (page 39)
CARB Considers One-Year Postponement of Enhanced Evap Test for USVMs (page 45)
CARB Adopts Regulations to Establish Statewide Portable Equipment Registration Program (page 46)
1995-96 Air Quality Data Show Continued Improvement in South Coast (page 56)
Assembly Transportation Committee Deletes Statutory Language From I/M-Related Bills, With Intent That Language Be Developed in Conference Committee (page 74)
Rulemaking Calendar (page 90)

June 1997 – [Top Page]

Governor Wilson Appoints New Board Member Sally Rakow, formerly of the California Energy Commission, Joins Board (page 2)
CARB Staff Presents Optimistic Status Report on Fuel Cell Technology to Board and "Expert Panel" is Formed To Study Fuel Cells (page 2)
I/M Review Committee Adopts Revised Financial Assistance Recommendations (page 7)
BAR Proposes Permanent Smog Check II Regs (page 14)
New State Report Recommends Classification of Diesel Exhaust as a Toxic Air Contaminant (page 14)
CARB Postpones Enhanced Evap Test for "Ultra-Small" Manufacturers (page 17)
CARB Conducts Workshop on Proposed Revisions to Tier II Standards for ULGE Engines Staff Faces Strong Opposition from Industry (page 20)
Ban on Use of MTBE Deleted from SB 521 Instead, Independent Study Proposed to Determine Risks, and CARB to List and Control MTBE as a Toxic Air Contaminant (page 32)
Rulemaking Calendar (page 44)

July 1997 – [Top Page]

Kern County Supervisor Barbara Patrick Appointed to CARB Board as San Joaquin Valley Representative (page 1)
Clean-Fuel Outlets Not Yet Required for 1999, But Plans for Ethanol-Burning Trucks Raise Questions (page 3)
CARB Proposes Regulations for Supplemental Federal Test Procedure (page 4)
I/M Review Committee Welcomes New Member, Adopts "Mitigation" Recommendations (page 12)
Senate Transportation Committee Requires Statutory Language in I/M-Related Bills; SB 521, Proposing Study of Risks Associated with MTBE Use, Passes Senate (page 21)
Rulemaking Calendar (page 29)

August 1997 – [Top Page]

Mark DeSalunier Replaces Patricia Hilligoss as Bay Area Member on CARB Board (page 2)
BAR Holds Workshops on Proposed Preinspection Regulations (page 2)
I/M Review Committee Hears Presentations on Shortage of Smog Check Technicians (page 8)
CARB Adopts Regulations for the Supplemental Federal Test Procedure Industry Generally Supportive of Staff's Proposal (page 17)
CARB Holds Workshop on Classification of Diesel Exhaust as a Toxic Air Contaminant (page 22)
CARB Holds Second SB 2174 Workshop on Validation of Emission Inventories (page 44)
CARB Holds Another Inventory Workshop Focus is on Transportation Activity Forecasting (page 50)
I/M Bills Set for August Hearing in Senate Transportation; Statutory Language Reinstated in AB 1368 and AB 1492, But "Fee" on Oil Production No Longer Proposed (page 61)
Rulemaking Calendar (page 71)

September 1997 – [Top Page]

Significant Legislative Changes Made Affecting Reformulated Gasoline and I/M Program Financial Assistance and Lower I/M Repair Cost Limits Proposed for Low-Income Vehicle Owners (page 2)
I/M Review Committee Hears Additional Presentations on Technician Training (page 16)
BAR Holds Workshop on Establishing Category for "Test-Only" Technicians (page 23)
CARB Proposes to Revise and Reactivate Heavy-Duty Vehicle Smoke Inspection Programs Trucking Industry Still Has Serious Concerns Regarding Staff's Proposal (page 29)
CARB Report Regarding Compatibility of Stage II Vapor Recovery Systems and On-Board Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) Systems Identifies Problems with Some Vehicle/Nozzle Combinations (page 33)
CARB Requests Comments on Fuel Spillage Control as a Possible Means of Relaxing the Agency's Proposed Tier II Standards for Utility and Lawn and Garden Engines and Other Off-Road Engines (page 34)
CARB Releases "Beta" Version of the "OFFROAD" Model (page 36)
Rulemaking Update (page 39)

October 1997 – [Top Page]

At "New Technologies" Conference, CARB Staff Proposes 0.05 g/mi NOx Standard for Cars, Light Trucks, and Sport-Utility Vehicles by 2003; Southwest Research Institute Says "Sulfur-Free" Diesel Fuel Needed to Minimize Emissions (page 1)
CARB Holds Workshop on Heavy-Duty Vehicle Inspection Program in Preparation for Re-Start of Roadside Smoke Inspections (page 29)
ZEV Implementation Committee Holds Meeting Fails to Identify or Discuss Problems with ZEV Mandate (page 36)
CEC Fuels and Transportation Committee Holds Hearing on 1997 Fuels Report Price Volatility of California "Cleaner Burning Gasoline" is Major Focus (page 41)
Series of I/M Program Amendments Go to Governor; New Cars To Be Exempt for Four Years, Pre-1974 Models May Also Be Exempted (page 47)
Rulemaking Update (page 61)

November 1997 – [Top Page]

I/M Review Committee Hears Presentations on Program Evaluation and Public Outreach Programs (page 2)
CARB Hears Status Report on Projects Funded for Vehicle Registration Fees Staff Report Indicates that a Substantial Portion of the $86 Million Collected Annually is Being Spent on Ineffective Projects (page 11)
CARB Staff to Present Emissions Inventory Update to Board for Approval in Response to Legislative Mandate However, Update Amounts to Little More than a Rehash of the Existing Inventory (page 16)
California Energy Commission Holds Workshop Regarding Study to Determine Impacts of an MTBE Ban (page 20)
CARB Staff to Propose Resumption of Heavy-Duty Smoke Programs to Board Staff and Truckers May Clash Over Opacity Standards (page 25)
CARB to Hold Workshop Regarding New Emission Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles Regs Intended to be "Substantially Similar" to Recently Promulgated EPA Regs (page 27)
CARB and OEHHA Staffs Brief Scientific Review Panel on Diesel Exhaust Toxicity Panel Set to Recommend Identification of Diesel Exhaust as a Toxic Air Contaminant (page 27)
CARB Staff Holds Workshop on New Test Procedures for Stage II Vapor Recovery Systems (page 33)
Governor Signs Assembly I/M Amendments and MTBE Bills (page 38)
Rulemaking Update (page 48)

December 1997 – [Top Page]

CARB Announces First Workshop For LEV II Program Mail-Out Portrays Successful Compliance with Existing LEV Program Requirements as a Fait Accompli and Staff Proposes Substantially More Stringent Standards for Post-2003 (page 1)
CARB Board Delays Approval of Emission Inventory Update in Response to Criticism of "Verification" Methodologies (page 12)
I/M Review Committee Hears Proposals for "Mitigating" Measures (page 20)
BAR Proposes to Issue Test-Only Technician License (page 34)
CARB to Hold Workshop on Small-Engine Portion of New OFFROAD Emission Model as Part of SB 2174 Process (page 39)
South Coast AQMD Holds Conference on Diesels (page 40)
Rulemaking Update (page 41)