The Clean Air Act - Where Are We? Where Are We Going? How Are We Going To Get There? 720127

This paper describes the implementation of Title 2 of the Clean Air Act, with special emphasis on the emission standards and test procedures which will apply to 1975 and 1976 light-duty vehicles.

Discussed are the new test procedure to measure an average car's emissions, and the EPA's tests and analysis-particularly the baseline study of emissions from 1971 cars-which became the basis for setting the new standards.

The complex control systems being designed to meet the 1975 standards are expected to require more maintenance attention than the control systems currently in use. The EPA expects to allow more maintenance on durability vehicles than is allowed by the currently-applicable regulations, but will condition its approval of more maintenance on its reasonableness; reasonableness is discussed. Assembly-line testing will be based on average of emissions from produced cars, as well as to assure that cars with excessively high emissions will not be permitted to be sold; as soon as procedures are established for testing emissions from in-use vehicles, manufacturers will be required to repair at their expense any vehicle that fails such tests, or to recall and repair any class of vehicles that does not conform to applicable standards.

Other related innovations brought about by the Clean Air Amendments are also discussed.