U.S. EPA cites Office of Management & Budget draft report crediting EPA for 80% of public health benefits from government regulation

Diesel Fuel News, Sept 29, 2003

U.S. EPA Cites Office of Management & Budget (OMB) Draft Report Crediting EPA For 80% of Public Health Benefits From Government Regulation: When it comes to regulations benefitting public health, EPA seems to be the leading U.S. government agency, according to draft OMB report cited by EPA mobile sources director Margo Oge.

Speaking to Hart World Fuels Conference, Oge said that 90% of the 80% of the public health benefits comes from EPA's clean-diesel regulations, automotive Tier 2 regulations, acid rain controls and cleaner fuels. These gains come despite a 160% increase in economic growth, 40% hike in population and 150% increase in vehicle miles traveled in recent decades. On the heavy-duty diesel clean-up front, "I'm absolutely confident that industry will meet the [2007] standards," she said. "We've met with all the OEMs--they all have plans for 2007." Meantime, on the light-duty front, "major companies have R&D plans to introduce clean-diesels for the 2007 time frame," even though only a few have actually announced firm plans to test or re-enter the North American light-duty diesel waters later this decade. On a related front, refiners will be "on-target" for ULSD compliance in 2006, at levels of around 95% ULSD rather than the 8020 split that EPA first envisioned. "Supply of clean fuel will meet the demand expected in 2006," she said.