2
3
4
5
6
7
8 Cosponsor:
Edward H. Redd
9
10 LONG TITLE
11 General Description:
12 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor encourages the citizens
13 of the state, when purchasing a vehicle, to consider the vehicle's smog rating and other
14 environmental impacts.
15 Highlighted Provisions:
16 This resolution:
17 ▸ recognizes how vehicle emissions impact Utah's air quality;
18 ▸ acknowledges the air quality benefits of purchasing a vehicle with a smog rating of
19 eight or higher; and
20 ▸ encourages citizens of the state to:
21 • consider a vehicle's smog rating; and
22 • purchase a vehicle with a smog rating of eight or higher.
23 Special Clauses:
24 None
25
26 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
27 WHEREAS, many of Utah's residents live in areas that experience periods when fine
28 particulate or ozone pollution exceeds federal air quality standards;
29 WHEREAS, the Wasatch Front's and Cache Valley's unique geography are major
30 contributors to serious air pollution during winter inversions as polluted warmer air is trapped
31 by colder air and hemmed in by Utah's mountain ranges;
32 WHEREAS, according to the Utah Foundation, "Studies have shown that ozone and
33 inversion-type particulate exposure can shorten life expectancy, exacerbate cardiovascular and
34 respiratory issues, and increase infant mortality rates";
35 WHEREAS, as Utah's population continues to grow, so will the challenges to reducing
36 vehicle pollutants;
37 WHEREAS, vehicle miles traveled in the state of Utah are expected to double between
38 2013 and 2040;
39 WHEREAS, areas that fail to comply with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards'
40 pollutant standards are classified as "nonattainment" areas, and vehicle sources account for a
41 large percentage of emissions in Utah's nonattainment counties;
42 WHEREAS, during the winter, 48% of the emissions that lead to fine particulate
43 pollution along the Wasatch Front comes from mobile sources;
44 WHEREAS, vehicles account for 45% of the emissions that lead to summertime ozone
45 formation;
46 WHEREAS, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that a
47 new vehicle be tested and its emissions analyzed before it is sold;
48 WHEREAS, the EPA provides a "smog rating" for vehicles that reflects tailpipe
49 emissions that contribute to local and regional air pollution;
50 WHEREAS, smog ratings range from one to 10, with one being the most polluting to
51 the environment and 10 being the least polluting;
52 WHEREAS, the average new vehicle sold has a smog rating of five;
53 WHEREAS, purchasing a vehicle with a smog rating of eight results in one-fifth the
54 emissions of a vehicle with a smog rating of five;
55 WHEREAS, all new vehicles model year 2013 or newer are sold with a label featuring
56 the vehicle's smog rating and other information regarding the vehicle's environmental impact;
57 WHEREAS, emissions standards for used vehicles can be identified by locating the
58 Vehicle Emissions Control Information label on the underside of the vehicle's hood; and
59 WHEREAS, in 2013, at Governor Gary R. Herbert's request, Envision Utah convened a
60 Clean Air Action Team that recommended as a first immediate action to "bring cleaner cars
61 and fuel to Utah as soon as possible," and further recommended to encourage the sale and
62 purchase of vehicles with a smog rating of eight or higher:
63 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
64 Governor concurring therein, encourages citizens of the state, when purchasing a vehicle, to
65 consider the vehicle's smog rating and other environmental impacts.
66 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor encourage
67 automobile dealers to make a vehicle's smog rating known to customers when they are
68 purchasing a vehicle, just as they would fuel economy.
69 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor encourage
70 citizens to purchase a vehicle with a smog rating of eight or higher where such vehicle meets
71 the purchaser's needs.
Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel