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Hotel Booking Like most of its New England neighbors, Maine requires that all new cars meet strict emissions standards. But Maine is alone in allowing consumers to legally register new cars that produce more pollution than the state policy allows.

the type of vehicle, the length of the transfer, and the country that the transfer takes place in. We are working towards gathering enough information to more accurately calculate the emissions created from each individual transfer. This is a huge task and so since we are reasonably confident in the total emissions from all of our transfers and in order to take immediate action, we have decided to use a fixed carbon offset fee for each booking. This amount represents the total emissions from all transfers booked through Holiday Taxis shared across all of our customers.

Travel Agency In the New Year, state legislators will likely consider closing this loophole, as they weigh a Maine Department of Environmental Protection measure that appeared on the list of bill titles finalized Friday for consideration by the 122nd Legislature.

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Cheap Hotel The measure, titled "An Act to Require Enforcement of the Low Emissions Vehicle Program," would allow the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to refuse to register a vehicle if the owner cannot prove that it meets state emissions standards, explained Ron Severance of the DEP Air Bureau, who has been advocating for the change.

The research study also demonstrates that travel agents are increasing their reliance on GDS systems for hotel information. Nearly 90% of travel agents say that they use their GDS and GDS shopping displays as much or more today than two years ago. Travel agents also report increased use of hotel property Web sites compared to two years ago. Travel agents are less likely now to use printed hotel directories, direct mail, fax, and the phone to gather information about hotels.

Flight Booking Gov. John Baldacci, too, is interested in the bill, spokesman Lee Umphrey said, calling registration denial "important to Maine auto dealers and equally important to Maine air quality."

Travel Agent It's a matter of fairness, according to Tom Brown, spokesman for the Augusta-based Maine Auto Dealers Association. Cars and trucks bought in New Hampshire or in Canada need not meet Maine's emissions standards, yet the state allows them to be registered here.

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Hotel Chicago "There are people who have gone out and bought vehicles [Maine dealers] cannot sell," Brown said.

Online Booking Brown doesn't have numbers on how many sales go out of state because of Maine's stricter standard, but individual dealers tell him that they've lost income.

Travel Health Insurance For example, auto dealers last year unsuccessfully challenged the DEP, complaining that automakers could not sell Volkswagen diesel cars in Maine because they had failed an emissions test for a single pollutant.

Hotel Reservation Diesel fans, who cite the cleanliness and efficiency of the cars when they are run on plant-based biodisesel, testified that they would cross the state line to buy the cars if necessary.

London Hotel Booking Under a registration denial policy, it would be illegal to drive a car that doesn't meet environmental standards, just like it is currently illegal to drive a car without insurance. Penalties for violating the law requiring cars to be registered -- which can range from a warning to serious fines or even impoundment -- would not likely change.

Discount Travel Environmental scientists don't believe that Maine's air quality is suffering because of the relatively few noncompliant vehicles on the roads, but Maine is suffering consequences nonetheless, said Severance.

Orlando Hotel Under federal air quality law, each state may either choose to follow the Environmental Protection Agency's national emissions standards or the more stringent California standards. Maine, New York, Massachusetts and Vermont have all joined California in the stricter rule. New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island each adopted the California standard in 2004 and will begin enforcing the rules in 2008.

Booking Agency And New Hampshire, the lone New England hold-out, is currently considering a legislative proposal to join the low-emissions vehicle program.

International Travel Medical Of the eight states with the stricter regulations, Maine, which adopted the California program in 1993, is the only state to have opted out of registration denial as an enforcement measure. While it's up to each state to determine how it will enforce the low-emissions vehicle law, states are given credit for their attempts to clean up emissions. And that credit can be important as EPA determines whether states are complying with the Clean Air Act. States that fail to comply can face fines or lose federal funds.

New York Hotel Maine is getting only 80 percent of the possible credits now because of its lack of a registration denial policy, Severance explained.

Online Travel Booking Presently, the emissions standard is enforced by DEP inspectors who visit approximately 80 dealerships each year. Compliance with the rule is never less than "excellent," but it's impossible for inspectors to visit every lot and check every car, so Maine lacks sufficient proof to convince the EPA to fully recognize the state's efforts, Severance said.

Travel Medical Insurance "You need to do everything you can to bring your emissions under control," he said. "[And] you want to get credit for the things you're doing."

Miami Hotel As Maine struggles to meet federal standards for ozone (a component of smog) in southern parts of the state, every policy change that can be made to improve air quality is crucial. It's not at all guaranteed that Maine will be in compliance when the EPA reviews air quality data in 2005. The state is likely out of compliance right now, Severance said.

Air Deccan Booking By Misty Edgecomb
Bangor Daily News - 12/21/2004

Topic: Air Pollution

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