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Control of Air Pollution; Determination of Significance for Nonroad Sources and Emission Standards for New Nonroad CompressionIgnition Engines At or Above 37 Kilowatts

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 [Federal Register: June 17, 1994]


ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Parts 9 and 89 [FRL-4893-8] RIN 2060-AD54 Control of Air Pollution; Determination of Significance for Nonroad Sources and Emission Standards for New Nonroad CompressionIgnition Engines At or Above 37 Kilowatts AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency. ACTION: Final rule.
SUMMARY: Section 213 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) as amended requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make a determination of the significance of the contribution of nonroad sources to nonattainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone and carbon monoxide (CO) in more than one nonattainment area. If the Agency makes a positive determination of significance, it must then promulgate regulations that will result in reductions in emissions from nonroad sources. In today's action, EPA is finalizing the determination of significance of emissions from nonroad engines. EPA is also promulgating standards for carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC), particulate matter (PM), oxides of nitrogen (NO<INF>X) and smoke emissions from large nonroad compression-ignition (CI) engines at or above 37 kilowatts (kW) in power, with exclusions for certain types of engines. The NO<INF>X standard is expected to reduce average per unit NO<INF>X emissions from affected engines by 27 percent before the year 2010, with a 37 percent reduction by the year 2025. EFFECTIVE DATE: This regulation is effective July 18, 1994. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the regulations is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of July 18, 1994. The information collection requirements contained in 40 CFR 89.114-96 through 89.120-96, 89.122-96 through 89.127-96, 89.129- 96, 89.203-96 through 89.207-96, 89.209-96 through 89.211-96, 89.304-96 through 89.331-96, and 89.404-96 through 89.424-96 have not been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and are not effective until OMB has approved them. A technical amendment will be published in the Federal Register when OMB has approved the information collection requirements. ADDRESSES: Materials relevant to this final rule are contained in Docket No. A-91-24 and A-91-18, located at the Air Docket, 401 M Street SW., Washington, DC 20460, and may be reviewed in room M-1500 from 8 a.m. until noon and from 1:30 p.m until 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. As provided in 40 CFR part 2, a reasonable fee may be charged by EPA for photocopying docket materials. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Hormes, Office of Mobile Sources, Certification Division, (313) 668-4502. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Electronic Availability The preamble, regulatory language and regulatory support document are available electronically on the Technology Transfer Network (TTN). TTN is an electronic bulletin board system (BBS) operated by EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. Users are able to access and download TTN files on their first call. After logging onto TTN BBS, to navigate through the BBS to the files of interest, the user must enter the appropriate command at each of a series of menus. The steps required to access information on this rulemaking are listed below. The service is free of charge, except for the cost of the phone call. TTN BBS: 919-541-5742 (1200-14400 bps, no parity, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit) Voice Helpline: 919-541-5384 Internet address: TELNET ttnbbs.rtpnc.epa.gov Off-line: Mondays from 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon ET
  1. Technology Transfer Network Top Menu <T> GATEWAY TO TTN TECHNICAL AREAS (Bulletin Boards) Command: T
  2. TTN Technical Information Areas <M> OMS--Mobile Sources Information Command: M
  3. OMS BBS === MAIN MENU <K> Rulemaking & Reporting Command: K
  4. Rulemaking Packages <6> Non-Road Command: 6
  5. NON-Road Rulemaking Area File area #2 . . . Non-Road Engines Command: 2<CR>
  6. Non-Road Engines
At this stage, the system will list all available nonroad engine files. To download a file, select a transfer protocol which will match the terminal software on your own computer, then set your own software to receive the file using that same protocol. If unfamiliar with handling compressed (i.e. ZIP'ed) files, go to the TTN top menu, System Utilities (Command: 1) for information and the necessary program to download in order to unZIP the files of interest after downloading to your computer. After getting the files you want onto your computer, you can quit the TTN BBS with the <G>oodbye command. I. Table of Contents II. Legal Authority and Background III. Determination of Significance IV. Definition of Nonroad Engine V. Requirements of the Final Rule A. Applicability B. Standards C. Implementation Dates D. Certification and Test Procedures E. Enforcement VI. Public Participation and Discussion of Comments A. Conversion of Standards and Measure to Metric Units B. Emission Standards C. Lower Emission Standards D. Exemptions E. Particulate Test Procedure F. Smoke Test Procedures G. Use of the On-highway Federal Test Procedure H. Alternate Procedures for Constant Speed Engines I. Certification Test Fuel J. Certification Test Engine K. Miscellaneous Certification Issues L. Implementation Dates M. In-use Enforcement N. Useful Life O. Locomotive Engines P. Vehicle and Equipment Manufacturer Requirements Q. Alternative Fuels R. Selective Enforcement Auditing S. Averaging, Banking, and Trading T. Nonroad Equipment Definition U. Definition of New V. Definition of Locomotive VII. Cost Analysis VIII. Environmental Benefits IX. Cost Effectiveness X. Administrative Requirements II. Legal Authority and Background Authority for the actions in this notice is granted to EPA by sections 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 213, 215, 216, and 301 of the Clean Air Act as amended (42 U.S.C. 7521, 7522, 7523, 7524, 7525, 7541, 7542, 7543, 7547, 7549, 7550, 7601(a)). On November 15, 1990, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA) were enacted in order to broaden and strengthen the CAA. While the CAA had long specifically authorized EPA regulation of on-highway vehicle and engine emissions, the 1990 amendments extended EPA's authority to regulate nonroad vehicles and engines. Specifically, revised section 213 directs EPA to: (1) Conduct a study of emissions from nonroad engines and vehicles; (2) determine whether emissions of CO, NO<INF>X, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from nonroad engines and vehicles are significant contributors to ozone or CO in more than one area which has failed to attain the NAAQS for ozone or CO; and (3) regulate those categories or classes of new nonroad engines and vehicles that contribute to such air pollution if nonroad emissions are determined to be significant. EPA may also regulate other emissions from new nonroad engines or vehicles if the Agency determines that they contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare. Finally, EPA is to regulate emissions from new locomotives by 1995.
The Nonroad Engine and Vehicle Emission Study required by section 213(a)(1) was completed in November 1991.<SUP>1 The purpose of this final rule is to implement section 213(a) (2), (3), (4), and (5) by determining that emissions from nonroad engines and vehicles are significant contributors to ozone and CO nonattainment and by promulgating regulations containing standards applicable to emissions from certain nonroad engines and vehicles.
\1\The Nonroad Study is available in the docket for this rulemaking. It is also available through the National Technical Information Service, referenced as document PB 92-126960.
III. Determination of Significance Section 213(a)(2) of the CAA provides that after notice and public comment, EPA is to determine, based on the Nonroad Engine and Vehicle Emission Study (hereafter called the Nonroad Study), whether nonroad emissions are significant contributors to ozone or CO in more than one nonattainment area. Based on the results of the Nonroad Study and consideration of the public comments discussed below, EPA is finalizing its proposed affirmative significance determination in today's rulemaking.
The majority of commenters did not address EPA's proposed determination of significance. Of those who did, most were in opposition, including organizations representing equipment manufacturers and users. Expressing support for the determination were some engine manufacturers, state and local organizations and environmental groups. A summary of comments is found in the Response to Comments document contained in the docket for this rule. Major comments are discussed below, accompanied by EPA's response.
  1. Use of the EKMA Model
Several commenters stated that EPA had not adequately demonstrated a significant contribution to ozone or CO nonattainment from nonroad engines or vehicles, as directed by the Act. These commenters argued that EPA had shown only the nonroad contribution to ozone precursor and CO emission inventories, and not the nonroad contribution to ozone formation or ozone and CO nonattainment. Some commenters questioned EPA's use of the Empirical Kinetic Modeling Approach (EKMA model) as the basis for its air quality analysis, and they suggested that EPA should have used a grid-based air quality model. However, the Agency did conduct photochemical modeling. Using the EKMA model, the Agency analyzed the effects of nonroad engine emission controls on ozone concentrations. The results of this analysis, presented in more detail in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) (ref. 58 FR 28809, May 17, 1993), showed that by eliminating nonroad engines in the studied areas, ozone levels would drop between four and 13 parts per billion (ppb) below current levels. This amounts to levels roughly three to eight percent lower than current levels in the 16 ozone nonattainment areas included in the analysis. The EKMA model has been used by the Agency for a number of years. Although the decision to use this model was driven to some extent by time and resource constraints, the Agency maintains its position that this model is valid and appropriate for the nonroad analysis. The Agency may utilize grid-based air quality modeling in future analyses. Furthermore, the Agency has traditionally based regulatory decisions on pollutant emission levels and the potential for their reduction. Because of the wide variability inherent in photochemical modeling (source emission levels, emission transport, and meteorological effects including ambient temperatures, cloud cover, sunlight intensity, wind patterns, and so forth), the Agency has typically relied on estimates of potential reductions in source emission inventories as the basis for regulatory analyses. These emission reduction estimates and the well established VOC/NO<INF>X link with tropospheric ozone formation, in conjunction with ozone monitors showing unacceptably high ambient ozone levels, have formed the basis of the Agency's regulatory approach toward ozone control for many years. In addition, as discussed in the NPRM, the Senate Committee Report, in discussing the significance of the contribution of nonroad emissions to ozone problems, specifically discussed the percentage of nationwide NO<INF>X and VOC emissions attributed to nonroad engines. Thus, the Senate clearly understood the relationship between emissions of NO<INF>X and VOCs to the creation of ozone. The NPRM discussed in detail the Nonroad Study's findings regarding the contribution from nonroad sources of summertime VOCs and NO<INF>X. These findings clearly show that emissions from nonroad engines are a major source of VOCs and NO<INF>X, as well as CO in most, if not all of the nonattainment areas studied. Given the clear link between VOCs and NO<INF>X and the formation of ozone, there can be no question that emissions from nonroad engines are significant contributors to ozone formation in at least two ozone nonattainment areas. Therefore, the Agency has met the CAA mandate to ``determine * * * whether emissions *