Posts Tagged ‘EPA’
Utah House Passes CNG Conversion Bill
Thursday, February 11th, 2010
The Utah House of Representatives passed a bill on Feb. 5th aimed at making it easier and cheaper to convert vehicles to run on compressed natural gas.
Representatives voted 67-1 for HB70, which would allow industry-certified technicians to convert cars and would require safety and emissions checks every three years or 36,000 miles, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. The bill now moves to the Utah Senate.
The proposed rules seek to transfer natural-gas conversion regulation away from the federal EPA and into Utah state control. The bill’s sponsor is Rep. Jack Draxler (R-North Logan), who has argued that current federal regulations are too burdensome. EPA officials do not oppose the state legislation, Draxler said.
State control of regulating natural-gas conversions will mean cheaper options for Utah residents and a cleaner environment, Draxler told the Salt Lake Tribune. “Every tool available to us needs to be used when it comes to our air quality and when it comes to less reliance on foreign oil,” he said.
This bill marks the latest move in government policies to lower the American consumer’s environmental impact and lower the country’s dependency on foreign oil and unsustainable energy. The fleet world is a major player in the American automotive industry, so make sure your fleet does what it can to help the environment.
Photo courtesy of sidewalk flying under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: bill, compressed natural gas, environment, EPA, Utah, Utah House of Representatives
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EPA Tightens Standards for Nitrogen Dioxide
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Jan. 25 announced a new national air-quality standard for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a pollutant that can be generated from vehicle emissions.
The EPA said the new standard will “protect millions of Americans from peak short-term exposures, which primarily occur near major roads.”
Short-term exposure to NO2 has been linked to impaired lung function and increased respiratory infections, especially in people with asthma. This is the first new NO2 standard in 35 years. The agency set the new one-hour standard for NO2 at a level of 100 parts per billion (ppb). EPA also is retaining the existing annual average standard of 53 ppb. NO2 is formed from vehicle, power plant and other industrial emissions.
“This new one-hour standard is designed to protect the air we breathe and reduce health threats for millions of Americans. For the first time ever, we are working to prevent short-term exposures in high-risk NO2 zones like urban communities and areas near roadways,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.
EPA is establishing new monitoring requirements in urban areas that will measure NO2 levels around major roads and across the community. Monitors must be located near roadways in cities with at least 500,000 residents. Larger cities and areas with major roadways will have additional monitors. Community-wide monitoring will continue in cities with at least 1 million residents.
It is not yet clear what impact the new standards will have on vehicle manufacturers or operators, but we will keep an eye out to make sure your fleet is informed!
Photo courtesy of Rishabh Mishra (possible248) under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: air-quality standards, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Nitrogen Dioxide, NO2
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Edmunds.com Proposes New Mileage Stickers for New Autos
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
Edmunds.com recently submitted a recommendation to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy to make new car window stickers more useful to car shoppers by highlighting usage costs rather than miles per gallon (mpg) numbers.
Dealership stickers currently display mpg ratings, which is useful for comparing the overall efficiency of cars when shopping. However, new technologies will soon make these comparisons obsolete due to their decreased usage of actual gasoline. The current plan for these vehicles is to assign them a “mpg-equivalent” rating generated by complex algorithms.
The EPA currently provides “annual usage costs” on window stickers as a separate statistic and makes the required assumptions necessary to do so. Edmunds wishes for these numbers to become the focus of the sticker’s mileage comparisons, rather than gasoline consumption. When using EPA figures in marketing, automakers should be required to use EPA-provided monthly cost estimates.
While this proposal is being considered, Edmunds.com is providing a list of monthly fuel costs for all 2009 and 2010 model year vehicles so shoppers can make realistic comparisons. To produce this list, Edmunds’ statisticians used data and assumptions that mirror those used in its True Cost to Own tool.
Would you like to see mpg-equivalent ratings when choosing fleet vehicles? Leave us a comment and let us know.
Photo courtesy of socalmom under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: Edmunds, Edmunds.com, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, mileage stickers, new cars, True Cost to Own
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NATSO Foundation Launches H1N1 Toolkit
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
The NATSO (National Association of Truck Stop Owners) Foundation has introduced an online toolkit to help truck stop and travel plaza owners, as well as the general motoring public, prepare for a potential disruption to business or travel plans due to an outbreak of the H1N1 flu. The web-based informational kit is titled “H1N1 For No One” and was created in accordance with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ guidelines recommending that travelers and the businesses that cater to them create plans for influenza outbreaks.
NATSO says the kit draws on the top recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency, and is filled with industry-specific information on minimizing exposure risks and maintaining operations during a pandemic.
The kit also includes tips on developing contingency plans, serving ill travelers and keeping locations clean and sanitary. NATSO has created a customer handout that can be downloaded from the site to keep professional drivers, fleet operators and travelers current on H1N1. Additional sections within the kit cover business insurance, flu vaccination clinics and best practices.
“Thousands of travelers rely on truckstops and travel plazas daily for food and fuel,” says Lisa Mullings, president of the NATSO Foundation. “We want the public to know that we are taking H1N1 seriously and are making the necessary preparations so we can continue to provide the level of service we are known for even if a pandemic occurs.”
The kit is available free of charge for all truck stop and travel plaza operators. For more information, click here.
Photo courtesy of bfishadow under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: CDC, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, H1N1, National Association of Truck Stop Owners, NATSO, US Department of Health and Human Services
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Florist’s Business Blossoms with Transit Connect
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
Michigan-based Mancuso Florists has weighed in on the benefits of the fuel-efficient Ford Transit Connect. The compact van has helped the business cut down on its fuel costs while maximizing its deliveries.
“It costs us about $30 to fill the gas tank in the Transit Connect,” said Frank Mancuso, proprietor of Mancuso Florists in St. Clair Shores, Mich. “It costs us about $70 to fill the tank in one of our full-size vans. A full tank lasts around the same time in either vehicle, so delivery costs are significantly reduced by using the Transit Connect.”
The Transit Connect is specifically engineered to meet the needs of small businesses, according to Ford. It is built on a dedicated front-wheel drive commercial platform, with a 2.0L Duratec I-4 engine and an automatic overdrive transaxle. The van delivers 22 city, 25 highway EPA-rated miles per gallon, and provides 135.3 cubic feet of cargo space with a payload capacity of 1,600 pounds.
The customizable nature of the Transit connect allows it to be specially fitted for the unique needs of any business, including a flower shop. The split rear cargo doors and low load floor make both loading and deliveries significantly easier.
“While reduced delivery costs are critical, Transit Connect offers other key advantages for floral retailers,” said Bruce Wright, editor of Flowers Magazine. “Small overall dimensions make Transit Connect much more maneuverable than traditional full-size vans, key in urban markets. It’s easier to handle and much simpler to park, reducing driver stress.”
The Transit Connect also presents the right image for a florist. “A full-size van is almost invisible, because they’re everywhere,” observed Mancuso. “But all kinds of people notice our Transit Connect. Our drivers get so many inquiries about the vehicle, we hand out cards with information about it. Transit Connect serves as a ‘rolling billboard’ for our business.”
Photo courtesy of Irargerich under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: Duratec I-4, EPA, Flowers Magazine, Ford, Mancuso Florists, Transit Connect
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