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Vehicle Standards and Regulations

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This Web page provides links to standards and regulations for controlling air pollution from cars and light trucks.

Emission Standards Reference Guide contains federal emission standards (exhaust and evaporative) and implementation dates for light-duty vehicles and trucks as well as the gasoline sulfur standards.

Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards Program: a joint final rule with the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Safety Administration establishing a national program consisting of new standards for model year 2012 through 2016 light-duty vehicles that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel economy. EPA set greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards under the Clean Air Act and NHTSA set Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.

The Tier 2 Program sets the standards for tailpipe emissions for all passenger vehicles, including sport utility vehicles (SUVs, minivans, vans, and pick-up trucks, beginning in 2004. The Tier 2 Program also requires reduced levels of sulfur in gasoline.

The National Low Emission Vehicle Program is a voluntary program which demonstrates how cooperative, partnership efforts can produce a smarter, cheaper program that reduces regulatory burden while increasing protection of the environment and public health.

Test Procedures for Testing Highway and Nonroad Engines and Omnibus Technical Amendments

NOTE: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, available as a free download, to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Acrobat Reader.

CAP 2000 (Compliance Assurance Program)

Emissions Durability Procedures for New Light-Duty Vehicles, Light-Duty Trucks, and Heavy-Duty Vehicles

Component Durability Procedures for New Light-Duty Vehicles, Light-Duty Trucks and Heavy-Duty Vehicles

On March 16, 2004, the EPA Administrator signed a proposed regulation that instructs automotive manufacturers how to conduct the durability procedures used to predict the useful life emissions of new vehicles. This rulemaking fulfills a court mandate issued on October 22, 2002, by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that ordered EPA to issue new emissions durability regulations. The following documents relate to the durability proposed rulemaking.

On August 23, 2001 the Administrator issued a denial to the Ethyl Corporation's request to reconsider the CAP 2000 regulation. The Administrator has also denied two other Ethyl petitions to reconsider a Heavy Duty gasoline rule and an OBD/IM rule. The denial document and the cover letter from the Administrator to Kevin Fast, Counsel for Ethyl Corp. are available below:

On December 17, 1999, EPA published Control of Air Pollution From New Motor Vehicles; Compliance Programs for New Light-Duty Vehicles and Light-Duty Trucks extending the comment period for accepting comments on the Ethyl petition regarding CAP 2000 to January 14, 2000.

On November 5, 1999, EPA published a notice in the Federal Register, Control of Air Pollution From New Motor Vehicles; Compliance Programs for New Light-Duty Vehicles and Light-Duty Trucks, requesting comments on the Ethyl petition to reconsider the CAP 2000 regulation.

Petition for Reconsideration of the CAP 2000 Rule (PDF) (9 pp, 601K, August 1999) This petition was filed before EPA Administrator by the Ethyl Corporation in August, 1999. Other documents relating to this petition may be found at EPA's Air Docket #A-96-50, Room M-1500 (mail code 6102), 401 M St. SW, Washington, DC 20460.

CAP 2000 Final Rule was published in the Federal register on May 4, 1999.

Guidance Document: An EPA guidance document discussing the implementation of CAP 2000 is available, CAP 2000 Implementation: Guidance Documents and Workshop (PDF) (32 pp, 654K, April 22, 1999)

Control of Air Pollution From New Motor Vehicles; Compliance programs for new light-duty vehicles and light-duty trucks. Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, signed 7/15/98

Other Files

Notice: Control of Emissions From New Highway Vehicles and Engines: Approval of New Scheduled Maintenance for Selective Catalyst Reduction Technologies

California State Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Standards; Waiver of Federal Preemption - Notice of Within the Scope Determination (Zero Emission Vehicle Requirement) (Signed January 18, 2001)

California State Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Standards; Waiver of Federal Preemption -- Notice of Waiver Decision and Within the Scope Determinations

Rule Amending the Test Procedures for Heavy-duty Engines, and Light-Duty Vehicles and Trucks and the Amending of Emission Standard Provisions for Gaseous Fueled Vehicles and Engines:

3-Wheel Vehicles - Control of Air Pollution From Motor Vehicles and New Motor Vehicle Engines; Increase of the Vehicle Mass for 3-Wheeled Motorcycles

Extension of Interim Revised Durability Procedures for Light-Duty Vehicles and Light-Duty Trucks

10 Gallon Per Minute Fuel Dispenser Flow Rate Regulation

Vehicle Import Amendments

Evaporative and Refueling Emission Technical Amendments

Control of Air Pollution From New and In-Use Motor Vehicles and New and In-Use Motor Vehicle Engines; Technical Amendments to the Test Procedures for Methanol-Fueled Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Engines and Petroleum-Fueled Motor Vehicles

Interim Regulations for Cold Temperature Carbon Monoxide Emissions from 1994 and Later Model Year Gasoline-fueled Light-Duty Vehicles and Light-Duty Trucks

This page is maintained by EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ).
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