[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 89 (Thursday, May 8, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 25368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11675]
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 89 / Thursday, May 8, 1997 / Proposed
Rules
[[Page 25368]]
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 87
[AMS-FRL-5821-2]
RIN 2060-AF50
Control of Air Pollution From Aircraft and Aircraft Engines;
Emission Standards and Test Procedures
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This rulemaking proposes to amend the existing United States
regulations governing the exhaust emissions from new commercial
aircraft gas turbine engines. Under the authority of section 231 of the
Clean Air Act (CAA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
proposing new emission standards for oxides of nitrogen
(NOX) and carbon monoxide (CO) for newly manufactured and
newly certified commercial aircraft gas turbine engines with rated
thrust greater than 26.7 kilonewtons (kN). This action proposes to
codify into United States law the current voluntary NOX (a
two-staged NOX standard) and CO emission standards of the
United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and
thereby would bring the United States emission standards into alignment
with the internationally adopted standards. These ICAO CO and
NOX standards would be added to the current EPA regulations
for smoke and hydrocarbon emissions that have been in effect since
1984. EPA is also proposing to adopt ICAO's requirement that these
standards also apply to engine designs which are substitutes for
turbojet and turbofan engines (e.g. propfan, unducted fan, and advanced
ducted fan). In addition, EPA proposes to amend the test procedures for
gaseous exhaust emissions and smoke exhaust emissions to correspond to
recent amendments to the ICAO test procedures for these emissions. EPA
also proposes to amend its certification test fuel specifications to
make them consistent with ICAO's test fuel specifications.
All of the affected engines are already meeting the ICAO CO and
first-stage NOX emission standards that EPA is proposing to
adopt today. Most engines also meet the ICAO second-stage
NOX standard; only a few models need minor reductions in
emissions to meet this standard. In addition, most manufacturers
routinely measure these emissions today even though it is not required
by federal regulation. The proposed amendments to the emission test
procedures are those recommended by ICAO and are widely used by the
aircraft engine industry today. Thus, today's proposal would establish
consistency between U.S. and international standards, test procedures,
and other requirements. Since aircraft and aircraft engines are
international commodities, there is some commercial benefit to
consistency between U.S. and international emission standards and
control program requirements (i.e., easier to qualify products for
international markets since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
can certify engines for ICAO compliance). In addition, today's action
ensures that domestic commercial aircraft would meet the current
international standards, and thus, the public can be assured they are
receiving the air quality benefits of the international standards.
Because the Agency views the provisions of this proposed rulemaking
as noncontroversial and does not expect to receive adverse comments,
these provisions are also being issued as a direct final rule in the
Final Rules section of this Federal Register.
DATES: Comments on the regulations proposed by this action must be
received on or before June 9, 1997. If EPA conducts public hearings on
today's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), EPA will publish a timely
document in the Federal Register that specifies the time and location
of such hearings.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties may submit written comments in response
to this notice (in duplicate if possible) to Public Docket No. A-94-66,
at: Air Docket Section, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Attention: Docket No. A-94-66, First Floor, Waterside Mall, Room M-
1500, 401 M Street SW., Washington, DC 20460. A copy of the comments
should also be sent to Bryan Manning, U.S. EPA (EPCD-12), Engine
Programs and Compliance Division, 2565 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI
48105.
Materials relevant to this notice have been placed in Docket No. A-
94-66 by EPA. The docket is located at the above address and may be
inspected from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays. EPA may charge a
reasonable fee for copying docket materials.
A copy of this action and the Regulatory Support Document is
available through TTNBBS under OMS, Rulemaking and Reporting, Aircraft
Engine Emissions. TTNBBS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
except Monday morning from 8-12 eastern standard time (EST), when the
system is down for maintenance and backup. For help in accessing the
system, call the systems operator at 919-541-5384 in Research Triangle
Park, North Carolina, during normal business hours EST. In addition,
the TTNBBS can be accessed through the following internet addresses:
World Wide Web: http://ttnwww.rtpnc.epa.gov or TELNET:
ttnbbs.rtpnc.epa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bryan Manning, U.S. EPA (EPCD-12),
Engine Programs and Compliance Division, 2565 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor,
MI 48105. Telephone (313) 741-7832.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of section 231 of the
CAA, EPA today proposes to adopt the 1986 ICAO CO and NOX
emission standards and ICAO's amendments of July 1993, which include a
more stringent NOX standard for the future and other test
procedure changes. These proposed revisions pertain to 40 CFR part 87
subparts A, C, G, and H. EPA considers these proposed changes to the
regulations to be noncontroversial, and thus, these changes will be
finalized as a direct final rule in the Final Rules section of the
Federal Register. For further supplemental information, the detailed
rationale, and the revisions to the regulations, see the information
provided in the direct final rule.
If no adverse comments are timely received, no further activity is
contemplated in relation to this proposed rule and the direct final
rule in the Final Rules section of this Federal Register will
automatically go into effect on the date specified in that rule. If
adverse comments are timely received on the direct final rule, the rule
will be withdrawn and all public comment received on it will be
addressed in a subsequent final rule based on the proposed rule.
Because the Agency will not institute a second comment period on this
proposed rule, any parties interested in commenting should do so during
this comment period.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 87
Environmental protection, Incorporation by reference, Aircraft
engines.
Dated: April 29, 1997.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 97-11675 Filed 5-7-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
