Particulate matter: A strategic vision for transportation-related research.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Douglas S Eisinger.
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This article presents a new analysis approach to design and evaluate motor vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs. The new approach, called I/M-Design, uses real-world data to provide two resources not previously available: (1) a transparent framework to quantitatively illustrate the range of emission reductions available from I/M, and (2) a sensitivity analysis tool to evaluate how key variables affect I/M performance. In addition, the approach satisfies a policy-making information need--how to convey, in a logical and straightforward manner, the expected benefits from I/M without relying on modeling tools inaccessible to those outside the air quality field. The material presented in this article illustrates the new approach by estimating hydrocarbon (HC) emission reduction benefits available from enhanced I/M in southern California's South Coast Air Basin. I/M-Design estimates that enhanced I/M results in a 14-28% reduction in light-duty motor vehicle HC exhaust emissions; this estimate compares well to other California I/M program evaluations. Even more importantly, I/M-Design sensitivity analyses illustrate how I/M programs that implement stringent failure thresholds, motivate pre-test repair work, and improve repair effectiveness can provide emission reductions that substantially exceed the performance of existing programs.
Control of CO is one of the great air-quality management success stories of the past 20 years. This paper evaluates whether past progress will continue into the future and whether changes in microscale CO concentrations are comparable to reductions observed at the regional scale. Neighborhood and microscale CO concentrations were evaluated at six northern and southern California monitoring sites. The study also included a review of CO emission, concentration, and exposure trends and on-road motor vehicle-based CO emission control programs for California and the United States. Consistent with California and national trends, CO concentrations declined at each of the six study locations from 1988 through 1998. Microscale concentrations declined at the same rate as did neighborhood-scale concentrations. Rollback analyses demonstrated that microscale concentrations will continue to decline through at least 2010-2020. Within a few years, microscale violations of the CO National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) will be unlikely in California except under extraordinary circumstances.