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GM Will Participate in National Low Emission Vehicle Program

5 February 1998

GM Will Participate in National Low Emission Vehicle Program

    DETROIT, Feb. 4 -- General Motors today announced
it will participate in the National Low Emission Vehicle (National LEV)
program, a voluntary plan that would result in GM building vehicles for the
U.S. that are 99 percent emissions-free, once EPA declares the program is in
effect.
    "The National Low Emission Vehicle program is a win-win program for the
environment, consumers and the states because it will result in cleaner air
faster and cheaper than by any other available regulatory option," said Dennis
R. Minano, GM vice president and chief environmental officer.
    "We especially want to commend the governors and other officials of the
northeast states who have been supportive of National LEV from the beginning
as well as those who joined the program more recently -- specifically
Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New
Hampshire, Maryland and the District of Columbia," Minano said.  "The strength
of this program is the way in which the leadership of the participating states
and the auto companies all worked together for the common goal of cleaner air
for the nation."
    GM first proposed the National LEV concept in 1993 as a way to avoid a
costly patchwork of different state emissions standards.  The plan focused on
the 12 northeast states and the District of Columbia because they had
considered stricter emissions standards as a group under provisions of the
Clean Air Act.  Thus far, eight of the northeast states plus the District of
Columbia have agreed to participate in the program.
    GM intends to go forward despite the fact that four of the northeast
states -- New York, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont -- have chosen not to
participate.  "We are hopeful the four states not currently in the program
will reconsider so their consumers can have cleaner air at lower cost," Minano
said.  "We believe the action of these four states should not preclude the
benefits of National LEV for the rest of the country."
    "Further, we believe other manufacturers who have not notified EPA of
their intention to participate in the National LEV program, should do so,"
Minano said.  "This reflects our belief that all manufacturers should
participate in the program to maximize clean air benefits."
    "We are proud of GM's role in the program and hope our actions today will
bring cleaner air a step closer to reality," Minano said.

SOURCE  General Motors Corp.