THE HONORABLE LYNDON B. JOHNSON President of the United States The White House Washington, D.C. Dear President Johnson: I have written to the presidents of the major automobile manufacturers since 1953 calling to their attention the need for proper control for motor vehicles to prohibit the emission of dangerous gases that cause the major source of air pollution in Los Angeles County. I have urged them on a voluntary basis to equip their cars, trucks and buses in Detroit as they are manufactured. You may read the answers received from the Presidents of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. Now, after twelve years of correspondence, during which each of the major companies has been given notice and has refused to comply with the request, it seems to me that Congress must pass a mandatory law requiring the industry to assume its responsibility. I have found out that you cannot "cooperate" or urge them "voluntarily” to do the job. Respectfully yours, Kennert Hahn KENNETH HAHN Supervisor, Second District The White House has asked this Department to reply to your letter of April 7, to President Johnson concerning the control of air pollution derived from motor vehicles. I am pleased to provide information which I trust will give you an appreciation of our position with respect to this very important aspect of the total national air pollution problem. The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare has consistently placed a high priority on auto exhaust as a major source of air pollution. Secretary Celebrezze submitted a report to the Congress last December which presented the view that all necessary steps should be taken to assure the national application of currently available technical knowl edge for reduction of such emissions. When I testified on April 6 before the Special Subcommittee on Air and Water Pollution of the Senate Committee on Public Works with respect to proposed legislation that would impose national limitations on automobile exhaust emissions, I pointed out that there is unequivocal evidence of the need for reduction of motor vehicle pollution throughout the country. At the same time, I emphasized that a technical potential now exists for meeting this need as evidenced by the automobile industry's announced plans to comply with California motor vehicle exhaust control laws. I suggested to the Subcommittee that the engi neering modifications which the automobile industry plans to introduce to comply with California law should be promptly evaluated to determine their applicability nationally. To be sure that these systems could be used as promptly and as universally as possible, this Department had begun some months previously to make arrangements for incorporation of these systems on 1966 model cars purchased for use by the Federal Government. In this way, we will be able to conduct a long-range evaluation of the systems under a wide variety of operating and climatic conditions. When I testified before the same Subcommittee on April 9, I further clarified this Department's and the Administration's position on the control of motor vehicle emissions. I re iterated our strong support for the objectives of the proposed legislation and outlined for the Subcommittee in general terms several recommended modifications which we believe would considerably strengthen the bill. We recommended that the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare be empowered to establish vehicle emission standards, and to change them as technological advances permit. We further recommended that the Secretary be authorized to make these standards mandatory as soon as he feels this action is warranted, rather than at a date specified by law. Shortly after this testimony was presented, Secretary Celebrezze submitted a further report to the Subcommittee dated April 13, 1965, which stated in part: "We wholeheartedly endorse legislation which would provide authority for the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to establish, by regulation, standards for exhaust pollutant emissions." The Secretary's report also transmitted specific legislative language detailing our suggested modifications of the pending legislation. We are firmly convinced that, if the legislation now before Congress is enacted with the modifications this Department has proposed, the benefits of effective and reliable exhaust control will be enjoyed sooner in every region of the country with no danger of the undue penalty which would be placed on the public if the control systems were applied before adequate national testing is accomplished. Moreover, we are of the opinion that the Subcommittee is in essential agreement with our position. I am happy to have had this opportunity to reply to your very thoughtful letter. If there is any way in which I can be of further assistance, please let me know. I do appreciate your sharing with me the reprint of your correspondence with auto companies on the problem of air pollution. My hope and expectation is that this serious issue of clean air-involving all pollutants-will receive very intensive consideration under the new Federal law. While my own operating responsibilities do not include Federal health activities, I can assure you that everything which I can do to help assist the President and H.E.W. Secretary Gardner to meet the pollution problem will be gladly done. Please don't hesitate to give me the benefit of your judgement, based upon your very extensive experience with automobile exhaust issues. |