This assignment is due on Saturday February 9, 2013 At 11Am
EST . It is important that you use in text citation and APA format to compose
this paper. The maximum amount of pages is 3 page word document , excluding
title and reference page , which must also be in APA format .
In an effort to reduce air emissions from mobile sources,
the EPA instituted reformulated gasoline (RFG) regulations. EPA’s reformulated
gasoline (RFG) rules, required oxygenates (e.g., MTBE, ethanol), reduced vapor
pressure (Reid Vapor Pressure or RVP reduction) and reduced toxics. However,
there were unintended problems with oxygenates and in May 2006, the EPA
reversed the RFG rule’s requirement for oxygenates by eliminating the requirement.
While RFG continues in its modified form with some benefits to the environment,
it is clearly not sufficient. So, it is time for us to put our “government
regulator” hats on and decide what we would advocate as next steps. Some
of the best opportunities are available to us by not only changing fuels but
also the vehicles that run on those fuels. The following are some examples of
vehicle/fuel combination possibilities:
- traditional
vehicle/gasoline (with or without a bit of ethanol) - diesel
vehicle/ clean diesel (with or without added biodiesel) - hybrid
(newer plug-ins or traditional hybrid)/gasoline and electric power mix - fuel
cell/ hydrogen - flex-fuel
vehicle/ E-85 gasoline - natural
gas vehicle/natural gas
Once you review the above material, write a 3 (maximum)
page paper that includes the following:
Select ONE of the above vehicle/fuel combinations that you
believe offers us hear in the U.S , the
most environmental advantages AND the least economic and practical hurdles to
implementation. You may draw comparisons to the other vehicle/fuel choices, but
try and focus on your selection in your discussion.
Explain the environmental advantages, steps to
implementation and solutions to problems in implementation. When you consider
environmental advantages (and disadvantages), keep in mind that these may
include more than air emissions from the tail-pipe. For example, a plug-in
electric car may operate without tail-pipe emissions (a plus), but the
electricity could be made from coal (a negative), as coal does generate air
emissions. (Ah, life is never simple, is it?). In your answers, try and include
as much of the entire environmental impact of the vehicle as possible – from
manufacture through end use. Also, feel free to consider economics and
geopolitical factors as environmental issues as these also tie into
environmental health.
There is no right or wrong answer here. What we project this
year may, in fact, turn out to be the wrong answer as technological
developments occur or fuel availability changes. The important thing is to
provide a good basis for your choice and arguments.
Please follow the American Psychological Association’s (APA)
guidelines for writing your paper.
