The story of an $8,000 exhaust filter, cleaner air and the busy hand of NY state government

The Post Standard-Syracuse NY ^ | April 18, 2010, 8:33AM | By Michelle Breidenbach

[Behind Liberal Lines]

The U.S. government passed new emissions standards that required new diesel-powered cars and trucks to use the filters. New York state government helped Corning build the new plant. Then, the state passed its own emissions law that forces owners of old diesel vehicles used on state contracts to install the filters — an upgrade that could cost as much as $30,000 each....

With eight months to go, there is also no coordinated effort to retrofit the state’s own fleet. The DEC cannot say how many trucks have been done. The Division of Budget does not have a cost estimate. Each agency is doing its own thing.

Almost 3,000 Department of Transportation vehicles fell under the new law.

The agency will have to finish retrofitting 883 vehicles before the end of the year. It could cost anywhere from $1.5 million to $26 million, a spokeswoman said.

Other state agencies are waiting to see what the state Legislature does next before spending thousands of dollars on old trucks and buses.

[Brilliant]

This is what happens when the government runs the economy. Seems like any NY businessman with half a brain would be moving his operation out of state.

[bunkerhill7]

Wait! NYDOT: “Let me cut off my other ear too so I can hear better!

[Shady]

Not even taking into account all of the diesel powered fire trucks, garbage trucks, municipal dump and utility trucks and more, Once again, bankruptcy doesn't mean a doggone thing....

[gwilhelm56]

Instead of a filter.... diesel exhaust pipes should be shoved up the a** of an EPA Employee!

[hoosierboy]

Must be those green jobs obama is talking about

[bamahead]

Libertarian ping! Click here to get added or here to be removed or post a message here!
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[Stegall Tx]

The article says that diesel vehicles that show up on a government job have to have a special sticker certifying that they pass an emissions test. Won't some enterprising folks just certify a couple of trucks to show up at the job site, haul a very short distance to an intermediary site, and use the uncertified trucks to do the long haul work?

I mean, nobody is going to retrofit a whole fleet at $30k each.

[Stegall Tx]

Oh, and did anyone think about the effect adding $8,000 to the cost of a more fuel-efficient vehicle (ie, turbo-diesel) would have on the overall economy? One reason we don’t have small diesel engines as an option on American vehicles is stupid environmental laws. Here’s another one!

[Richard Kimball]

This story is an excellent example of how the old paradigm of business vs. government is incorrect, and shows where things are going.

Businesses have figured out they can use agencies like the EPA to force people to purchase their products. Corning has a guaranteed hit because they make the filters and government mandates the filters.

If I can make a unique product, that's good. If I can make a product and get the government to mandate that you purchase it from me as a sole source provider, that makes me a billionaire.

Whenever you wonder why large businesses support socialist/fascist candidates, recheck this article. Corning is making a fortune on a product no one would buy if the government wasn't forcing the use of it.

[savedbygrace]

This is such a blatantly ignorant idea that investigative researchers should be searching to connect the dots. Who benefits from it, and what political donations and other deals have been made????

[FrankR]

All the trucks that run on diesel who go into New York, should refuse to cross their borders.

Everyone knows that truckers make the country run, and even though many of the truck are in NY and operate solely withing NY, the over the road diesel truckers boycotting NY could quickly repeal this law.

NOTHING is going to stop these ridiculous laws until someone takes a stand.

$30,000 per truck/car is ludicrous...if I had a diesel automobile, it would be cheaper to trade it in on a gasoline model than to retrofit it.

Sounds like the Governor or NY is running the state on the "obama" model...EXTORTION.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Filing this in ...

Obama-nomics link-list
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2464021/posts

[Willie Green]

Seems like any NY businessman with half a brain would be moving his operation out of state.

No, all the half-brained businessmen are madly scrambling to compete for the air filter business.
It's the one's who have a full brain who would leave the state.
But it's a moot point since the full brainers all left over 25~30 years ago.

[smokingfrog]

The company [Corning] spends hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to make sure it has access to the government officials who make the rules. The company spent almost $1 million on lobbying the federal government in 2009, records show.

In New York state, the company spent about $42,000 on lobbying last year, records show.

The company and its executives are also heavy contributors to federal and state election campaigns.

*****

A nice return on bribes err... investment.

[artichokegrower]

Already being done in California

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/truckstop/truckstop.htm

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onroad/porttruck/porttruck.htm

https://secure.arb.ca.gov/ssldoors/doors_reporting/reporting.php

and the mother of them all (in more ways than one)

http://www.arb.ca.gov/homepage.htm

[Shady]

...and what about locomotives?

[Hardastarboard]

The agency will have to finish retrofitting 883 vehicles before the end of the year. It could cost anywhere from $1.5 million to $26 million, a spokeswoman said.

At least that money will come out of the pockets of filthy, money grubbing evil capitalists, and not out of the pockets of the taxpayers.

/ idiot level understanding of economics fueled by MSM lies and the Amurikun edukashion system

[FrankR]

"...and what about locomotives? "

Yeah...that too! Thanks.

[Still Thinking]

This is what happens when the government runs the economy. Seems like any NY businessman with half a brain would be moving his operation out of state.

Well, unless he's in the air filter business!