CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- Volkswagen officials underestimated emissions from the paint shop at the company's auto assembly plant in Chattanooga.
According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press (https://bit.ly/XsAHVd ), the carmaker has asked the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau for a 20 percent variance.
Bob Colby, who heads the agency, said the company had to calculate what it thought nitrogen oxides emissions would be as the plant was being built in 2008.
Colby says the requested increase is in line with other car assembly plants and the agency's staff has recommended it be approved.
Volkswagen spokesman Guenther Scherelis in Chattanooga said the higher emission level would still be 77 percent lower than the industry standard for comparable paint shops.
The bureau will take public comment at a meeting Dec. 3.
