Rhode Island Adopts CA Emissions Standards

26 December 2004

Rhode Island is adopting the California Low Emission Vehicle II (LEV-2) emission standards for new vehicles sold in Rhode Island beginning with model year 2008.

The California LEV-2 program requires reductions in tailpipe and evaporative emissions from new passenger cars, light-duty trucks and sport utility vehicles sold in the state.

The standards require that 10% of the autos and light trucks be Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV).  The ZEV percentage will increase incrementally until reaching 16% in 2018.  Auto manufacturers are encouraged to meet this requirement by using advanced automotive technologies such as hybrid-electric vehicles or even gasoline-powered vehicles that have no or nearly no emissions. The proposed amendments would offer a voluntary compliance option, giving manufacturers an incentive to place zero emission vehicles in Rhode Island before that sales requirement takes effect in model year 2008.

Under the federal Clean Air Act, individual states must adopt either the federal Environmental Protection Agency's national auto emissions standards or the California Low Emissions Vehicle emissions standards. Rhode Island currently adheres to the national emissions standard. However, California's standards provide additional emissions reduction benefits over and above what the federal program is expected to achieve. Rhode Island joins Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, and New York in adopting the California program. New Jersey is in the process of adopting the California standards.

By implementing the California LEV-2 program, Rhode Island hopes to reduce hydrocarbon emissions by 16%, air toxics emissions by 25%, and greenhouse gas emissions by 2% by the year 2020.