REGULATIONS * USA - Obama Transportation Emission Control Initiatives

FL,USA -The Examiner, by Jon Anderson -November 26, 2010:    ...  The President Obama has authorized development of Tier 3 Tailpipe Out Transportation Emission Standards for automobile and truck makers under 12,500 pounds loaded weight... The popular press covered the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) fleet wide miles per gallon accord between President Obama and the auto industry. The fleet wide standard will increase from 25 to 35 miles per gallon beginning in 2016. In addition the tailpipe Carbon Dioxide emissions will decrease from approximately 500 grams per mile to 250 grams per mile... The popular press also covered President Obama’s tightening of the 8 hour Ground Level Ozone Standard down to 0,08 parts per million (ppm). While this story got coverage most of the reporters missed out the fact now the 8 hour Ground Level Ozone Standard will require dozens of more rural counties in the South, Midwest and West to adopt some modest air quality control programs. This is because most these suburbanized rural counties are very close to non-attainment anyway... (Photo: AP/EPA -  EPA map of counties affected by air pollution)

* USA - FMCSA to keep CSA cargo scores private

Washington,DC,USA -Fleet Owner, bby Sean Kilcarr -Nov 18, 2010: -- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) said it will not publish scores for the cargo-related behavior analysis and safety improvement category (BASIC) of the new Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010) safety program, withholding them from public view on the agency’s website until it can craft a more accurate methodology for reporting them... This is good news for the trucking industry on several fronts, according to Rob Abbott, vp-safety policy for the American Trucking Associations (ATA)... The cargo-related BASIC measures a motor carrier’s compliance with load securement procedures, as well as a host of hazardous materials requirements. ATA said it identified the cargo-related BASIC as a component of the FMCSA’s CSA 2010 program that needed additional work and recently met with FMCSA to present evidence demonstrating that the scores in this category do not accurately reflect carrier safety performance... (Photo from advantagewaste: hazardous waste removal vacuum truck)