Germany drivers can pick up emissions decals

[unhappycamper]

Germany drivers can pick up emissions decals
By Charlie Coon, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Saturday, January 26, 2008

STUTTGART, Germany — U.S. motorists in Germany can begin picking up environmental zone decals for their cars at military vehicle registration offices, but some drivers won’t need them anytime soon.

The new decals, which on Jan. 1 became mandatory in Berlin, Hannover and Cologne, designate which cars can be driven into those downtown, pollution-prone areas. The decals are free.

A number of other cities will require the stickers later this year, including Stuttgart and Mannheim on March 1. Street signs will mark the cities’ Umwelt zones, or environmental zones.

“It would be prudent for folks in (Stuttgart and Mannheim) to get their stickers to preclude any violations of the law,” Tom Lorenzini, of U.S. Army Europe’s provost marshal office, said in an e-mail.

Diesel-fueled cars made before 1997 and gasoline-fueled cars made before 1993 will not be eligible for a decal and not be allowed in the designated downtowns.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51931



uhc comment: Previous thread on the decals --> http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=259&topic_id=9318