Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 24, 1990 TAG: 9005240443
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The bill, the first revamping of federal air pollution controls in 13 years, now must be reconciled with a similar Senate version approved in April before going to President Bush for his signature.
The final vote was 401-21.
The way was cleared for House passage after daylong closed-door negotiations led to a compromise easing a requirement for alternate-fuel cars. The agreement erased the last obstacle to the bill, which had been approved by the Energy and Commerce Committee six weeks ago.
While clean air legislation over the years has been one of the most contentious issues before Congress, the broad-reaching bill moved through floor action in less than two days. Most of the thorniest issues had been resolved in committee or closed-door negotiations.
Like the Senate version, the bill imposes tougher air pollution controls on automobiles and industry, including curbs on acid rain precursors from electric power plants and toxic industrial chemicals. The Bush administration has said the legislation will cost more than $21.5 billion when all provisions go into effect.
Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., hailed passage of the bill and predicted that by 1996, it will create from 1,500 to 9,000 new jobs in Virginia's coal-producing counties.
"The legislation . . . will simultaneously lessen sulfur dioxide emissions, providing an environmental benefit to Virginia and the nation, and dramatically increase the sale of Southwest Virginia's low-sulfur coal," a release from Boucher's office said.
He said flexibility in the legislation will encourage utilities to meet the new sulfur dioxide emission standard by using more low-sulfur coal.
The vote approving the compromise on alternate-fuel cars was 405-15.
Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., chief backer of the bill, agreed to abandon a proposal requiring automakers to build 1 million cars annually that burn fuels other than gasoline.
Instead, the production of such cars would be limited to a "pilot program" of up to 300,000 for the Los Angeles area, which has the nation's worst smog, by 1997. Emission controls on fleet vehicles and urban buses also would be toughened for many cities with major smog problems.
Waxman's original "clean car" amendment would have applied to nine cities with the worst smog problem: Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego, Milwaukee, Houston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City and Hartford, Conn.
The Senate passed a similar bill in April. Among the differences between the Senate and House versions is the absence of any "clean car" provision in the Senate bill.
Earlier Wednesday, the House approved 274-146 a $250 million, 5-year financial aid package to help workers who lose their jobs because of tougher air pollution controls.
by CNB