[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 133 (Friday, July 11, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37228-37229]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18253]
[[Page 37228]]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5856-9]
Retrofit/Rebuild Requirements for 1993 and Earlier Model Year
Urban Buses; Public Review of a Notification of Intent To Certify
Equipment
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice of agency receipt of a notification of intent to certify
equipment and initiation of public review and comment period.
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SUMMARY: Nelson Industries, Inc., Nelson Division (Nelson) has
submitted to the Agency a notification of intent to certify urban bus
retrofit/rebuild equipment pursuant to 40 CFR part 85, subpart O. The
notification describes equipment consisting of an oxidation catalyst
combined with a noise muffler which replaces the original muffler unit
installed on the engine. The equipment is intended for use on all
petroleum-fueled Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC) two-stroke cycle
urban bus engines from 1979 through 1993 model year, exclusive of the
1990 model year DDC 6L71TA. In addition, Nelson requests certification
of this equipment for use on engines rebuilt using the DDC 6V92TA
mechanical unit injector (MUI) and electronic control (DDEC II) engine
upgrade kits previously certified by EPA under the retrofit/rebuild
program.1 Pursuant to Sec. 85.1407(a)(7), today's Federal
Register notice summarizes the notification, announces that the
notification is available for public review and comment, and initiates
a 45-day period during which comments can be submitted. The Agency will
review this notification of intent to certify, as well as any comments
it receives, to determine whether the equipment described in the
notification of intent to certify should be certified. If certified,
the equipment can be used by urban bus operators to reduce the
particulate matter of urban bus engines.
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\1\ The DDC MUI upgrade kit was certified by EPA on October 2,
1995 (60 FR 51472). The DDC DDEC II upgrade kit was certified by EPA
on June 28, 1996 (61 FR 37738).
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The notification of intent to certify, as well as other materials
specifically relevant to it, are contained in Category XIX of Public
Docket A-93-42, entitled ``Certification of Urban Bus Retrofit/Rebuild
Equipment''. This docket is located at the address listed below.
Today's notice initiates a 45-day period during which the Agency
will accept written comments relevant to whether or not the equipment
included in this notification of intent to certify should be certified.
Comments should be provided in writing to Public Docket A-93-42,
Category XIX, at the address below, and an identical copy should be
submitted to Tom Stricker, also at the address below.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 25, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Submit separate copies of comments to each of the two
following addresses:
1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Public Docket A-93-42
(Category XIX), Room M-1500, 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460.
2. Tom Stricker, Engine Programs and Compliance Division (6403J), 401
``M'' Street SW, Washington, DC 20460.
The Nelson notification of intent to certify, as well as other
materials specifically relevant to it, are contained in the public
docket indicated above. Docket items may be inspected from 8:00 a.m.
until 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. As provided in 40 CFR part 2, a
reasonable fee may be charged by the Agency for copying docket
materials.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Stricker, Engine Programs and
Compliance Division (6403J), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401
M Street S.W., Washington, DC 20460. Telephone: (202) 233-9322.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On April 21, 1993, the Agency published final Retrofit/Rebuild
Requirements for 1993 and Earlier Model Year Urban Buses (58 FR 21359).
The retrofit/rebuild program is intended to reduce the ambient levels
of particulate matter (PM) in urban areas and is limited to 1993 and
earlier model year (MY) urban buses operating in metropolitan areas
with 1980 populations of 750,000 or more, whose engines are rebuilt or
replaced after January 1, 1995. Operators of the affected buses are
required to choose between two compliance options: Program 1 sets
particulate matter emissions requirements for each urban bus engine in
an operator's fleet which is rebuilt or replaced; Program 2 is a fleet
averaging program that establishes specific annual target levels for
average PM emissions from urban buses in an operator's fleet.
A key aspect of the program is the certification of retrofit/
rebuild equipment. To meet either of the two compliance options,
operators of the affected buses must use equipment which has been
certified by the Agency. Emissions requirements under either of the two
compliance options depend on the availability of retrofit/rebuild
equipment certified for each engine model. To be used for Program 1,
equipment must be certified as meeting a 0.10 g/bhp-hr PM standard or
as achieving at least a 25 percent reduction in PM. Equipment used for
Program 2 must be certified as providing some level of PM reduction
that would in turn be claimed by urban bus operators when calculating
their average fleet PM levels attained under the program. For Program
1, information on life cycle costs must be submitted in the
notification of intent to certify in order for certification of the
equipment to initiate (or trigger) program requirements. To trigger
program requirements, the certifier must guarantee that the equipment
will be available to all affected operators for a life cycle cost of
$7,940 or less at the 0.10 g/bhp-hr PM level, or for a life cycle cost
of $2,000 or less for 25 percent or greater reduction in PM. Both of
these values are based on 1992 dollars.
II. Notification of Intent To Certify
By a notification of intent to certify dated March 11, 1997, Nelson
has applied for certification of equipment applicable to all Detroit
Diesel Corporation (DDC) two-stroke cycle urban bus engines from 1979
through 1993 model year, exclusive of the 1990 model year DDC 6L71TA.
In addition, Nelson requests certification of this equipment for use on
engines rebuilt using the DDC 6V92TA mechanical unit injector (MUI) and
electronic control (DDEC II) engine upgrade kits previously certified
by EPA under the retrofit/rebuild program. The notification of intent
to certify states that the candidate equipment will reduce PM emissions
25 percent or more relative to the original PM level of the engine.
Nelson provides criteria for determining whether or not the engine
needs to be rebuilt prior to installing the candidate equipment.
Further, transit pricing level has been submitted with the
notification, along with a guarantee that the equipment will be offered
to all affected operators for less than the incremental life cycle cost
ceiling for a 25 percent reduction technology. EPA notes that the
program requirement, applicable to operators choosing to comply with
program 1, to reduce PM levels by at least 25 percent when these
engines are rebuilt or replaced, has already been triggered, for the
engine models covered by Nelson's request, by Englehard Corporation
with certification
[[Page 37229]]
of their catalytic-converter muffler (CCM).2 In addition,
for certain engine models covered by Nelson's request, the 0.10 grams
per brake horsepower-hour (g/bhp-hr) PM standard has already been
triggered.3 Nevertheless, EPA plans to review available
information and comments related to the cost of the Nelson equipment
and, if appropriate, to certify the Nelson equipment on the basis of
being available to all affected operators for less than the life-cycle
cost ceiling of $2,000 (1992 dollars). Any equipment certified as
meeting the both the emission and cost requirements can be considered
by EPA when updating the post-rebuild PM levels used by transit
operators choosing to comply with program 2.4
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\2\ 60 FR 28402, May 31, 1995.
\3\ 62 FR 12166, March 14, 1997.
\4\ See 40 CFR 85.1403 (c)(1).
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To determine particulate matter (PM) reduction of the candidate
equipment under the urban bus retrofit/rebuild program, Nelson presents
exhaust emission data from a 1983 DDC 6V92TA with mechanical unit fuel
injection (MUI), which was rebuilt by Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing--
Central, Inc. prior to baseline testing. The engine was retested with
the candidate equipment installed. The data show a 53 percent reduction
in PM emissions between the baseline engine and the engine with the
candidate equipment installed. In addition, the test data indicate that
the emissions of hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and oxides of
nitrogen (NOx) with the candidate equipment installed are less than
applicable standards. Fuel consumption measurements indicate a fuel
economy penalty of less than 1 percent with the candidate equipment
installed. Nelson presents smoke emission measurements for the engine
which indicate compliance with applicable standards.
Consistent with previous catalyst certifications for 25 percent
reduction, EPA believes that the Nelson test engine meets the criteria
for worse-case test engine, described at Sec. 85.1406 (a), for all two-
stroke cycle engines (exclusive of the 1990 model year DDC 6L71TA),
including both mechanically and electronically fuel injected engines.
As further described in that section, EPA reserves the right to request
additional information showing that PM reduction does not vary
significantly among engine families. However, because the Nelson test
data indicate over a 50 percent PM reduction on the DDC 6V92TA MUI test
engine, EPA believes it reasonable to expect that electronically-
controlled engines, with the Nelson catalyst installed, will be capable
of meeting the 25 percent reduction standard for which Nelson is
requesting certification.
Nelson states that the candidate equipment will be offered to all
affected operators for less than a life cycle cost of $2,000 (1992
dollars), and has submitted life cycle cost information. Nelson states
that the purchase price of the catalytic muffler unit will not exceed
$2,069 (in January 1997 dollars). In addition, Nelson states that
equipment installation time will not exceed 5 hours, resulting in an
installation cost of $199 (in January 1997 dollars). Finally, Nelson
states that there is no incremental maintenance required of the
catalyst unit, and no fuel economy impact.
Certification of the candidate Nelson equipment would affect
operators as follows. For the 1979 through 1989 6V92TA MUI engine
models, EPA has previously certified equipment which triggered the
requirement to use equipment certified to the 0.10 g/bhp-hr level
beginning September 15, 1997. Therefore, under Program 1, operators who
rebuild or replace 1979 through 1989 model year DDC 6V92TA MUI engines
after this date will be required to use equipment certified to meet the
0.10 g/bhp-hr PM level. For all other engine models to which this
certification would apply, EPA has previously certified equipment which
triggered the requirement to use equipment certified as providing a
minimum 25 percent reduction in PM beginning December 1, 1995. If the
candidate Nelson equipment is certified to reduce PM by at least 25
percent, then its use under program 1 will meet this requirement for
these other engine models. This requirement will continue for the
applicable engines until such time that equipment is certified to
trigger the 0.10 g/bhp-hr emission standard for these engines for less
than a life cycle cost of $7,940 (in 1992 dollars). If the Agency
certifies the candidate Nelson equipment, then operators who choose to
comply with Program 2 and install this equipment, will use the PM
emission level(s) established during the certification review process,
in their calculations for target or fleet level as specified in the
program regulations.
At a minimum, EPA expects to evaluate this notification of intent
to certify, and other materials submitted as applicable, to determine
whether there is adequate demonstration of compliance with: (1) The
certification requirements of Sec. 85.1406, including whether the
testing accurately substantiates the claimed emission reduction or
emission levels; and, (2) the requirements of Sec. 85.1407 for a
notification of intent to certify, including whether the data provided
by Nelson complies with the life cycle cost requirements.
The Agency requests that those commenting also consider these
regulatory requirements, plus provide comments on any experience or
knowledge concerning: (a) Problems with installing, maintaining, and/or
using the candidate equipment on applicable engines; and, (b) whether
the equipment is compatible with affected vehicles.
The date of this notice initiates a 45-day period during which the
Agency will accept written comments relevant to whether or not the
equipment described in the DDC notification of intent to certify should
be certified pursuant to the urban bus retrofit/rebuild regulations.
Interested parties are encouraged to review the notification of intent
to certify and provide comment during the 45-day period. Please send
separate copies of your comments to each of the above two addresses.
The Agency will review this notification of intent to certify,
along with comments received from interested parties, and attempt to
resolve or clarify issues as necessary. During the review process, the
Agency may add additional documents to the docket as a result of the
review process. These documents will also be available for public
review and comment within the 45 day period.
Richard Wilson,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 97-18253 Filed 7-10-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
