This is in reply to your letter of September 27, 1960 to Mr. Henry Ford II regarding the need for automobile anti-smog devices for Los Angeles County. The review copies of our correspondence with you since 1953 provide a record of the continuing interest and intense technical activity of the automobile industry in attacking the automobile emissions-air pollution problem. We feel that significant progress has been made in that we are voluntarily supplying positive crankcase ventilation devices on all 1961 Ford Motor Company cars produced for sale in California. These devices effectively eliminate hydrocarbon emissions from the crankcase. Since recent data indicate that crankcase emissions are a significant portion of the total vehicle hydrocarbon emissions, the elimination of the crankcase as a source should have a profound effect on reducing total hydrocarbon emissions to the atmosphere from the automobile. We were naturally disappointed that our low-temperature vanadium pentoxide catalytic converter, which has been developed to eliminate exhaust hydrocarbons, was eliminated from consideration by the recently enacted California Exhaust Standard which requires a reduction in exhaust carbon monoxide concentrations as well as a reduction in hydrocarbon emissions. As a result we have been evaluating many different catalysts designed to remove both hydro carbons and carbon monoxide from exhaust gases. To date we have found no single catalyst that meets all requirements. We are also investigating other means for enabling our products to meet the California Exhaust Standard. As we continue our progress on the exhaust problem we will keep you informed as we have in the past. The automobile industry will be making a presentation to the California Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board at the Board's next meeting. The current status of the automobile industry program will be discussed in detail at that meeting. If, after that meeting, you have further questions regarding the industry program, please let me know. Very truly yours, 1 M. Chandler J. M. CHANDLER, Supervisor Induction and Exhaust System Section I am sincerely disappointed by the automobile industry's failure to accept its responsibility in equipping automobiles, as they are manufactured in Detroit, with a muffler or other device which would reduce the air contaminants polluting the atmosphere. Since February 19, 1953, I have corresponded annually with the Chief Executives of the major automobile corporations. Each year I receive replies saying, in effect, that "deices are still under study-they have not been perfected-the problem is still being reearched." During this period, major scientific accomplishments have been achieved. Man has gone into space; he has orbited the world. Electronics have advanced in every field. The jet airplane has been developed for normal passenger travel. Yet, the new automobiles coming from Detroit are still not equipped with a device to control fumes, which remain the major air pollution factor in Los Angeles County. Recognized health authorities, leading scientists and qualified engineers have proven beyond a doubt that the last major source of air pollution in Los Angeles County which is not under control by regulation or rules of the Board of Supervisors comes from the motor vehicle. California has a total of 8,102,164 registered vehicles, of which an estimated 3,500,000 are in Los Angeles County. In a recent 506-page report to Congress, the U. S. Public Health Service cited new evidence of danger to human health from automotive air pollution. The report states that steps to curb automotive pollution should not await the results of numerous research projects now under way, and summarizes research indicating the irradiated exhaust products are related to rising rates of lung cancer, emphysema and other pulmonary afflictions, as well as to heart and circulatory diseases, allergies and other ailments. In a letter accompanying this report, Surgeon General Luther Terry adds that research to date "has produced evidence-that automobile emissions do produce effects on human beings." Dr. Seymour M. Farber of the University of California Medical Center has stated that a cancer survey in Cincinnati showed "urban residents driving more than 12,000 miles per year are twice as susceptible to lung cancer as those driving less than 12,000 miles." Although Dr. Farber advocated that electricity replace present forms of power which pollute the atmosphere, including gasoline engines, and the U. S. Public Health Service report made a similar suggestion, I am sure that the automobile industry can make the present gasoline powered engine safe in the field of public health. There is no need of rules and regulations from Washington if industry assumes its own responsibility. But, unless this is done promptly, it might be necessary for the Congress of the United States to pass such necessary laws as would require the industry to equip its products with equipment that will lessen the amount of pollution emitted into the atmosphere. Under our system of government and free enterprise, I believe that the industry which causes a problem should be the first to correct it without regulations. But if industry fails to assume its rightful responsibility, then government has to step in. Without waiting for a law to be passed, I am hoping that you will use your influence as the President of General Motors Corporation to step up interest in this problem in your company and issue the appropriate orders to effect a solution. If there is a sincere will to accomplish this, I am sure it can be done. It is my hope, and I am sure it is the hope of all who suffer from the ill effects of air pol lution, that the automobile industry will have on the 1963 models as they are produced in Detroit approved mufflers which will substantially reduce air pollution not only in Los Angeles, but in every major city with a large number of motor vehicles. Mr. Ford has asked me to acknowledge your letter of July 9, 1962. The Ford Motor Company for many years has been deeply concerned with the problem of automobiles and air pollution, and we are always happy to have the opportunity to discuss our efforts to resolve this problem. Your letter overlooks the significant accomplishment of the automobile industry in removing over 30% of the automotive hydrocarbon emissions by the control of automobile crankcase emissions at nominal cost. Positive crankcase ventilation systems have been voluntarily supplied on all California cars beginning with 1961 models. I think that the automobile industry's performance in this regard is worthy of note. Crankcase emissions have been considered a relatively small percentage of the total hydrocarbons emitted from autor mobiles. When the automobile industry discovered, however, that these emissions were approximately one third of the hydrocarbons coming from automobiles, the industry quickly took steps to eliminate these emissions by engineering a positive crankcase ventilation system for 1961 and later models. The industry has followed normal practice to improve its products and on June 19, 1962, an air cleaner crankcase ventilation system developed by the Ford Motor Company for use on 1963 models equipped with six cylinder engines was approved by the California Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board. This was the first time the Board approved a crankcase ventilation system which had been developed by an automobile manufacturer as an integral part of the engine. In contrast with the relative simplicity of the crankcase emissions problem, our industry's correspondence with you over the past nine years reflects the extreme complexity of achieving control of the minute quantities of combustibles in exhaust gases, In March of 1962 the automobile industry published thirteen SAE papers describing efforts of the past few years to engineer acceptable methods for reducing exhaust emissions. Of the many catalytic mufflers developed and/or evaluated by the industry, none has been found adequate. Other methods for treating exhaust gases were also discussed, ut none of these could be considered acceptable at this time. We at Ford were able to present a technical paper describing the development of a novel method of exhaust gas treatent called exhaust manifold reaction. While this concept continues to show good results On some engines, a considerable engineering and materials development program lies ahead before production feasibility can be determined. While these research and development efforts have been going on in our laboratories, we have been working closely with the California Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board in its development of test procedures and performance and durability criteria. We have noted that the Board has finally had submitted to it several devices which it has accepted for Step 1 testing. We are very interested in seeing if these devices can meet the Board's requirements for the minimum 12,000 miles. In the meantime you can be assured that we will continue our efforts, in cooperation with the rest of the automobile industry through the Automobile Manufacturers Association, to develop effective and economical controls for automobile emissions. This is in reply to your letter of July 9, 1962, which requests me to issue appropriate orders to effect a solution for controlling automobile exhaust gases as they pertain to smog. As indicated in my letter of January 19, 1959, General Motors has always accepted responsibility for keeping the objectionable constituents of automobile exhaust gas at a minimum. As a result the Research and Engineering groups have had the complete support of the Corporation both in terms of manpower and money in their efforts in this area. As you know, the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board has been given full responsibility for control of motor vehicle emissions in the State of California. This Board has established official criteria concerning the requirements for both exhaust gas and crankcase control devices. With respect to the latter type device, the system which has been voluntarily installed on new vehicles sold in California starting with the 1961 models was ths first device approved by the Board. In addition to this system, which is manufactured by the AC Spark Plug Division, the Rochester Products Division has developed a different system which has also received Board approval. The Board has as yet not found it possible to approve any device for control of exhaust gases. This lack of approval is based upon the inability of the devices to meet the technical criteria with respect to performance and life. General Motors is vigorously pursuing its research and engineering work to improve the performance and life of various exhaust devices. Similar efforts are being made by other member companies of the Automobile Manufacturers Association. As yet the Board has not seen its way clear to institute an effective system of vehicle inspection aimed at minimizing pollutants in automobile and truck exhausts. Although such a system will be costly, I believe it will be a necessary step toward effective control. Such a system could provide substantial reductions in pollutants on existing vehicles if combined with an adequate maintenance program. Even after all cars are equipped with devices, periodic inspection will be required to insure their proper operation. Finally, it is estimated that over 300,000 cars in Los Angeles County are now equipped with positive crankcase ventilation devices through the voluntary efforts of the Auto |