Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §585-D, as amended by PL 1997, c. 364, §§37 and 38, is further amended to read:

§585-D. New motor vehicle emission standards

Subject to the provisions of this section, the Board may adopt and enforce standards that meet the requirements of the federal Clean Air Act, Section 177, 42 United States Code, Section 7507 relating to control of emissions from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines. These standards, known as a "low-emission vehicle program" must be designed to prevent air pollution and achieve and maintain ambient air quality standards within the State. The board may implement a low-emission vehicle program only when:

1. New England states adoption. Massachusetts, Connecticut and at least one other New England state, excluding this State, have adopted a low-emission vehicle program that meets the requirements of the federal Clean Air Act, Section 177, 42 United States Code, Section 7507 and the first motor vehicle model year that is required to meet standards under the low-emission vehicle program in Maine is not an earlier model year than the first model year required to meet standards under a low-emission vehicle program in any of those 3 New England states; and

2. Ozone transport region adoption. Jurisdictions comprising more than 60% of the total registrations of new passenger cars in the ozone transport region have adopted a low-emission vehicle program that meets the requirements of the federal Clean Air Act, Section 177, 42 United States Code, Section 7507 and the first model year required to meet standards under the low-emission vehicle program in any of those states is not later than motor vehicle model year 2000. For purposes of this paragraph, "ozone transport region" means the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, and the consolidated metropolitan statistical area that includes the District of Columbia.

The department may not implement the low-emission vehicle program if the implementation of that program includes the adoption, sale, or use of any type of reformulated gasoline other than the federal reformulated gasoline that is certified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under 42 United States Code, Section 7545(k) for sale and use in states other than California.

The commissioner shall complete a study of zero-emission