Motoring News - Reformulated gas study results(no Audi content)

[Anton Gaidos III <anton_gaidos_iii@firepower.com>]

Okay, never one to pass up new motoring news, as you all may have
figured out here is some results
from a recent study sponsored by California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans, the department of no mistakes), the U.S. Department of
Transportation and the California Air Resource board. In other words
this is a report that support the government view.
Pollutant                 1994-95  1995-96
---------------------------------------------------------------
Carbon monoxide     -14%       -18%
Nitrogen oxides         -7%         -7%
Volatile organic
compounds               -6%        -24%
Benzene                  -19%       -52%
Scientists from UC Berkeley setup measuring equipment in the Caldecott
Tunnel for ten days in August of 1994, 1995 and 1996. They note that the
first year's reduction was due to modern emission equipment and that the
second year, the year sale of the reformulated fuel began. 
Some quotes:
Robert Harley, associate professor of civil and environmental
engineering said "There's no question that there are large, significant
reductions due to the new gasoline" "We see definite reductions in
emissions from tailpipe exhaust and evaporation of gas from the tank".
Says Linda Citivello-Joy executive director of the American Lung
Association of San Fransico (do foreign countries always add the name of
their country to the beginning of everything) "We felt all along that
all the negative press that reformulated gasoline was getting was
wrong"(probably hurt the refiners feelings too) "I'm pleased to hear
that additional studies have validated the gasoline and our
position".(Problem. All these studies are government sponsored studies)
 In a subarticle we get the following:
 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has concluded that the state
officials who estimated that loss of mileage to be 3% were accurate in
their conclusion. The laboratory came to this conclusion by reviewing
the earlier reports done by California Air Resource board and stated
that the California Air Resource board used valid methods and
statistics. LLNL also pointed out that the reason people are seeing
fluctuations in mileage of up to 15% is due to speed traveled, air
conditioning, number of passengers, weather changes, driving on hills
and other factors. "Substantial variations in fuel economy are routine
and inevitable due to additional factors which effect mileage".(Note:
None of these variables have changed for me for years. Same roads, same
number of passengers, no A/C, same car yet my Chevron bill is up and I'm
stopping for gas more often)
  "All they did was rehash evidence that had been used earlier" says
state Sen. Dick Monteith, R-Modesto. He closes by saying "We need to do
a complete, independent study".
 Well, I feel better now. 
I'm not knocking the benefits to the air but I due question the results.
You can find these articles in the San Jose Mercury News web page.
Anton J. Gaidos, III
PC Design
Motorola Computer Group
"The fortunate man knows how much he can safely leave to chance"