Letter: Don't curb the trend toward lower emission vehicles

HB23 will limit decals for Clean Air Vehicle HOV Access. If, in fact (as I have read) we are adding approximately 80 Clean Air Vehicles a month to our Wasatch Front roadways, then we actually have a successful and progressive program to reduce air pollution. This suggests that Clean Air Vehicle HOV Access is a sufficient and effective motivation for drivers, which is notable, since the majority of these vehicles are brought into Utah from around the country.

It needs to be considered that these Clean Air Vehicles are reducing emissions 100 percent of the time that they are operated, not just in the HOV Lane. Why would we want to curb this trend towards lower emission vehicles? The obvious choice would be to either restrict Express Pass use or increase tolls so as to reduce and control its use. If cleaner air is indeed a priority of our Utah government leaders and citizens, then the Clean Air Vehicle HOV incentive is a current and effective means of contributing. If limits for Clean Air Vehicle access are adopted, it should be in conjunction with and secondary to restrictions or other means of reducing Express Pass use.

Rex Ainslie

South Jordan