I think I’ve come across one possible enhancement to Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to toll all of Manhattan below 86th Street—an outright ban on vehicles not meeting emissions standards. Via Treehugger:
Since the start of the year, drivers to the inner city of Berlin - the 88-square kilometer area inside the subway ‘ring’ - must display badges to show their cars meet new rules for particulate and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions. Cars without badges are subject to the not-too hefty ticket price of 40 Euros (US$58) and a penalty point on the errant driver’s license.[...]
In 2010 the emissions law will be further tightened, and only ‘green badge’ cars will be able to go into the inner city zones.
I also wonder if this might be a possible workaround for California’s new squabble with the EPA over competing emissions standards. I’d bet it would more likely pass judicial muster if California tolerated the sale of vehicles passing federal CO2 standards, but kept them out of parts of the Bay Area and Southern California.
