A reader responds to my post on how the government, in its infinite wisdom, is actually preventing people from buying less-polluting vehicles by passing arcane environmental protection laws:

I tried a year ago to bring to market a device that allows to reduce fuel consumption by up to 30% in _any_ gasoline or diesel-powered engine. Tested and tried personally, great technology.

I figured California would be a good test market.

It is illegal in CA to install, advertise, sell, etc. a device that may affect the fuel delivery and exhaust system of a vehicle. So one needs to go through red-tape to get an “exception”

After months-long of trying to figure what they wanted, responding to inane requests, I pretty much gave up.For example, the ARB (Air Resources Board) wanted a notarized letter from the INVENTOR of the device stating that it was ok for me to apply for the exception. What the hell ? how is that relevant ? I want to import some devices and sell them why the hell am I supposed to track down the inventor and get him to sign some notarized letter ? Why should I ? He probably does not even care or want to care, he might have sold the rights to some IP company who has a chinese manufacturer make the device for them, for example.

Once the ARB finally gave a test list (I actually managed to have a good relationship with the inventor and got the paperwork required) the only target vehicle that would have fit their criteria was not actually available in the US.

Thus I pointed that out and amended my application for the exception to make it more restricted (engine power-wise and technology used by the engine). The ARB replied I had to do a completely new application and include a full list of all vehicles that would work with the device. So I am supposed to give a full list, and if the device is approved, it can not be installed on any vehicle that is not on the list. Realize that the device in question is quite universal so the criteria are quite simple, whether it will fit or not in a given vehicle. The ARB just want to make it complicated.

And on and on…

My final conclusion, is that agencies such as the CA ARB have as a mission, to preserve the status quo and discourage any real progress in lowering fuel consumption or pollution. They are fronts for the big petroleum companies and Car manufacturers which are the ones pulling the strings and able to put the money down for the insanely expensive tests to get any new technology approved.

The ARB “protects” consumers by not allowing them to test and use promising technology that would save them buck.

The ARB (and EPA) is to gas engines what the FDA is to pharmaceutics.

No doubt he is correct. Regulations are invariably sold to the public on the basis that they’re for our protection, but in fact they protect the big, established businesses from smaller entrepreneurs. This is just another example in a long and ever-growing line.