It is physically impossible to do so because of the immutable chemical products of burning gasoline in automobiles.
You can see from the graph, It is chemically impossible to reduce hydrocarbon (HC), Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Di-oxygen (02) gases to their lowest levels without causing the very highest production levels of Carbon Dioxide (C02).
Each time an automobile is tested not mixing fuel and air at the stoichiometrically optimum ratio of 14.7 pounds of air to 1 pound of gasoline, (a failing test), this tested vehicle is physically emitting higher levels of the first three gases, and LESS CO2!!!
This occurs on both sides of the mixture equation, from rich (less air per fixed pound of fuel), to lean (excess air per pound of fuel).
The targeted goal of EPA/DEQ is to REDUCE CO2 emission levels, which means each time a automobile which fails its emission test is "repaired", the automobile's previously lower CO2 emission level is INCREASED to the very highest level that it can be.
Each "repaired" automobile is now contributing MORE not LESS CO2 to the atmosphere and airshed (all the air we breathe locally).
Testing and subsequent repair only guarantees that the final result will be overall HIGHER CO2 emissions. The legislature never heard testimony from DEQ/EPA prior to "decisively passing" this law, despite the fact they were in possession of such information. Data based information was deliberately left out of the mix because it does not support the need for such a VET law in the first place.
I presented this information to a meeting held in the Canyon County Court house last year which was attended by all DEQ and EPA personnel. Not one person charged with overseeing this law disagreed or took any exception to my presentation regarding the chemistry and physics of this matter.
This law needs to be repealed, not reviewed every five years!!! Band-aid attempts to soften the financial burden of this defective law is a step in the right direction.
Even if we shut off ALL the cars which travel between Canyon and Ada Counties, it would still be impossible to effect more than a small fraction of the targeted CO2 decrease hoped for by these agencies. The airshed involved encompasses several counties, not just Canyon County.
Kim Blough
You're expecting the DEQ to have a level of competency. That's a good one! Look how they screwed up the school bus crankcase ventilation add-on program. They are now having to replace many engines in school buses all over Idaho.
ReplyDeleteThe writer of this opinion piece is not in favor of VET nor are many of the folks subjected to this exercise in favor of VET.
DeleteKim you are attempting the impossible . Geting bureaucrats to understand common sense and facts makes acheiving nucular fisson in your garage look simple.
ReplyDelete