NATION IN BRIEF : NEW YORK : Strict Auto Exhaust Rules to Be Adopted

New York state will adopt the 1995 California vehicle emission standards in an effort to fight air pollution and reduce dependence on oil, Gov. Mario M. Cuomo announced. The standards, which permit fewer hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen and carbon monoxide, would apply to cars beginning with the 1995 model year. The program also is designed to increase production of alternative-fuel vehicles. Public hearings are to begin this spring on the standards, and a state environmental official said he expects the process to be completed by December. Without it, he said, strict controls on industry and vehicle use would be needed.