Emissions decals expected soon for vehicles in Germany

[unhappycamper]

Emissions decals expected soon for vehicles in Germany
By Charlie Coon, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Saturday, January 5, 2008

STUTTGART, Germany — By the end of the month, U.S. Army Europe hopes to provide vehicle registration offices with emissions-rating decals that now are required to drive into some city centers in Germany.

The decals would identify which vehicles are allowed to be driven in city centers. Older, higher-polluting cars would not get decals and not be allowed in some downtowns.

Berlin, Cologne and Hannover enacted the law on New Year’s Day — a violation of which could result in a 40-euro fine, or about $59. Stuttgart and Mannheim are scheduled to enforce the law starting March 1, with other German cities to follow if they choose.

Workers at vehicle registration offices at U.S. installations are awaiting the stickers, which they would then issue, free of charge, to vehicle registrants.

“A lot of people have been asking,” said Barry Calloway, a supervisor at Heidelberg’s vehicle registration office. “We’ve seen nothing on our end yet. It’s not affecting us here locally yet, but it will be.”


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51425