---

Automaker Statement Re: U.S. EPA Staff Paper On Gasoline Sulfur Issues

12 May 1998

Statement by the American Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and The Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM) in Reaction To The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Staff Paper On Gasoline Sulfur Issues

    WASHINGTON, May 12 -- The following is a statement by the
American Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and the Association of
International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM) in reaction to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's Staff Paper on gasoline sulfur issues:

    "Automakers from around the world are pleased that the Administration has
spoken on the issue of sulfur in gasoline.  As EPA's staff paper correctly
notes, sulfur in gasoline impairs vehicle emissions performance from current
and advanced technology vehicles.
    "Low emission vehicles coming into the marketplace are 99 percent cleaner
than those of the 1960s -- a truly remarkable achievement.  But fuel quality
in the U.S. continues to lag behind fuel quality in other leading countries.
Clean gasoline is a cost-effective pollution prevention strategy for mobile
sources, which is why AAMA and AIAM jointly petitioned EPA in March to
regulate gasoline sulfur.  The automakers seek a national sulfur standard not
to exceed 30 ppm (parts per million) annual average with an 80 ppm per gallon
maximum.  EPA should propose such regulation as soon as possible.
    "Reducing sulfur in gasoline will reduce emissions of numerous pollutants
from the current on-road vehicle fleet and capture the clean air benefits that
are possible with advanced vehicle hardware technologies.
    "Leading nations around the world, including Japan, countries in Europe
and South Korea recognize the critical importance of clean, low sulfur
gasoline and already are requiring its sale.  In fact, U.S. gasoline has the
highest sulfur content of any major industrialized nation. It is time for the
United States to join other nations by adopting a world-class gasoline for its
world-class vehicles."

    AAMA is the trade association whose members are Chrysler, Ford and General
Motors.  Visit the AAMA on the World Wide Web at http://www.aama.com.
    AIAM is the trade association representing the U.S. subsidiaries of
international companies doing business in the United States.

SOURCE  American Automobile Manufacturers Association; Association of