LEV II - Amendments to Low-Emission Vehicle regulations: Notes

At its November 1998 meeting, the Air Resources Board (ARB) amended California's Low- Emission Vehicle (LEV) regulations. The new amendments, known as LEV II, will advance the state's clean air goals through improved emission reduction standards for automobiles. The ARB first adopted LEV standards in 1990. These first LEV standards run from 1994 through 2003.

LEV II regulations, running from 2004 through 2010, represent continuing progress in emission reductions. As the state's passenger vehicle fleet continues to grow and more sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks are used as passenger cars rather than work vehicles, the new, more stringent LEV II standards are necessary for California to meet federally-mandated clean air goals outlined in the 1994 State Implementation Plan (SIP).

LEV II brings the advanced emission controls of passenger cars to light trucks and sport utility vehicles;

• Near-zero evaporative emissions
• Advanced electronic engine management and on-board diagnostic systems
• More efficient catalysts
• Increased engine durability

The SIP is the state's "road map" to attain federal clean air standards by 2010 and includes among its measures strategies to further reduce air pollution from automobiles and other mobile sources. When LEV II is fully implemented in 2010, it is estimated that smog-forming emissions in the Los Angeles area will be reduced by 57 tons per day, while the statewide reduction will be 155 tons per day.

The U.S. EPA has proposed the adoption of more stringent "Tier 2" (II) exhaust emission standards to start with the 2004 model year. The current federal evaporative emission standards are very similar to the current California standards. The more stringent California LEV I and LEV II programs are necessary to attain the national and state ambient ozone standards, and to fulfill the requirements of state and federal law.