STATE DELAYS CURB ON LAWN-TOOL POLLUTION; MAKERS OPPOSE REDUCTION IN EMISSIONS.Byline: John Howard For other persons of the same name, see John Howard (disambiguation). John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian politician and the 25th Prime Minister of Australia. Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. California gave manufacturers a one-year reprieve reprieve (rĭprēv`): in law, see pardon. Thursday from a new anti-pollution law requiring sharp reductions in emissions from gasoline-powered leaf blowers, trimmers and other garden gear. The rule was scheduled to go into effect next year. But the Air Resources Board, the state's top air-quality enforcer, pushed back the start-up date to Jan. 1, 2000, after hours Adv. 1. after hours - not during regular hours; "he often worked after hours" of public testimony. Lawn equipment companies told the Air Resources Board the rule - far more stringent than a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and regulation - was so tough it could have the practical effect of restricting the sale of most two-cycle gasoline-powered lawn equipment in the state. They said they wanted more time to develop products to comply with the regulation. One maker said flatly it would take products off store shelves. ``We are not certain we will be able to meet the (ARB) standard,'' testified Tom Griswold Thomas "Tom" Griswold (born April 22, 1953 in Cleveland, Ohio) co-hosts the radio show The Bob & Tom Show together with Bob Kevoian, Kristi Lee, and Chick McGee. This comedy-based early morning program is among the highest rated in American radio and has been nationally , an executive with John Deere Consumer Products. ``It puts us in a position where we won't have a product available,'' he added. Environmentalists urged the board to retain the original timetable. So did a handful of companies, who said they have invested heavily to satisfy the ARB's rule. At issue is an ARB program established in 1990 targeting air pollution from leaf blowers, mowers, trimmers, edgers, chain saws, and other lawn and garden equipment. The rule affects both hand-held equipment and larger items, such as riding mowers. Under the regulation, emissions from new gas-powered equipment are required to be cut by 81 percent beginning in 1999. The tools account for about 70 tons per day of state air pollution, or about 1 percent of California's total air pollution. The level is expected to reach about 200 tons daily in 12 years. Although low in proportion to other air pollutants pollutants see environmental pollution. , board scientists say the lawn tool pollutants have a significant impact on air quality. On Thursday, the board's action entailed accepting a compromise developed by its staff after extensive hearings. They agreed that companies selling the lawn equipment needed more time to comply with the regulation. The EPA EPA eicosapentaenoic acid. EPA abbr. eicosapentaenoic acid EPA, n.pr See acid, eicosapentaenoic. EPA, n. standard calls for a 51 percent reduction. Some manufacturers have urged California to follow the federal rule. They have asked that the regulation be gutted entirely or that it be phased in gradually. They contend the cost of modifying or developing the tools could boost the costs of the items. One company said as much as $60 could be added to the price tag of a $69 weeder. Thousands of gasoline-powered lawn and garden tools are sold annually in California. The board put the cost of meeting the new regulations at $10 million, but manufacturers contended the actual cost would be far higher. |
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