&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Radiation
EPA420-F-98-008
April 1998
Office of Mobile Sources
Resource
Information
Office of Mobile Sources
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Mobile
Sources (OMS) is responsible for carrying out laws to control air
pollution from motor vehicles, engines, and their fuels. Mobile sources
include: cars and light trucks, large trucks and buses, farm and
construction equipment, lawn and garden equipment, marine engines,
aircraft, and locomotives.
Overview
Established in 1971, OMS is divided between EPA's headquarters in
Washington, D.C., and the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Labora-
tory in Ann Arbor, Michigan, near the headquarters of domestic automo-
bile manufacturers.
There are about 500 personnel in OMS. Staff expertise spans a variety of
technical and public policy fields including auto mechanics, engineering,
chemistry, economics, natural resources management, and law.
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OMS develops national standards for emissions, evaluates emission
control technology, tests vehicles, engines, and fuels, and determines
compliance with federal emission and fuel economy standards. OMS also
develops fuel standards, inspection and maintenance programs, and
market and transportation incentive programs.
Reducing Air Pollution from Mobile Sources
The early goals of OMS centered around working with industry to reduce
emissions from individual automobiles. The approach achieved dramatic
success—compared to an uncontrolled passenger car of 1970, an average
car on the road today emits 60 to 90 percent less pollution over its life-
time. However, the amount of driving in this country has more than
doubled since then, so transportation still accounts for a large part of
national air pollution. More than half the U.S. population live in areas
where pollution levels exceed federal air quality standards.
1990 Clean A major challenge for OMS is to find ways to reduce vehicle-related
Air Act pollution given the increase in vehicle travel. Congress outlined a four-
point strategy in the 1990 Clean Air Act to achieve further emission
reductions from transportation sources. The strategy broadens OMS's
program activities beyond its original focus on new car emission stan-
dards to emphasize:
• Clean Vehicles - Develop more stringent emission standards for cars,
buses, trucks, and nonroad engines, such as construction equipment,
boats, lawn and garden equipment, and locomotives.
• Clean Fuels - Develop reformulated gasoline, diesel fuel, and nonpe-
troleum alternatives.
• Inspection and Maintenance and Onboard Diagnostics - Develop
programs to identify faulty emission controls and ensure their repair so
vehicles remain clean in actual customer use.
• Clean Transportation Alternatives - Develop strategies to encourage
transportation alternatives to address vehicle travel growth.
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Office of Mobile Sources
Advanced
Technology
Support
Division
Policy,
Planning
& Budget
Division
Office Director
Deputy Office Director
Assessment
and
Modeling
Division
Regional
& State
Programs
Division
Engines
Programs
& Compliance
Division
Testing
Services
Division
Fuels
& Energy
Division
Vehicle
Programs
& Compliance
Division
Advanced
Technology
Support
Division
Assessment
and Model-
ing Division
Enqine
Programs
and Compli-
ance Division
Fuels and
Energy
Division
Organization Overview
The Advanced Technology Support Division is responsible for all auto-
motive technology development programs related to the reduction of
conventional pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions . The major focus
of the division is the development of new and emerging technologies,
such as Clean Car (Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles), low
NOx diesel engines, and alternative fuel technologies.
The Assessment and Modeling Division develops highway and nonroad
emissions models, oversees test programs to collect emissions data from
in-use vehicles and engines, and analyses the emission reductions from
mobile source emission control programs. EPA and state air quality and
transportation planning agencies use this information to estimate emis-
sion inventories and evaluate pollution control program options.
The Engine Programs and Compliance Division develops, implements,
and assures compliance with national programs to reduce emissions from
engines and engine systems. This includes heavy-duty highway engines,
nonroad engines, marine engines, locomotives and aircraft.
The Fuels and Energy Division develops and implements fuel emissions
control programs. This includes implementing the Reformulated Gaso-
line Program which improves air quality by requiring that gasoline sold
in the most polluted urban areas reduce emissions of toxics and ozone-
forming compounds.
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Policy Planning
and Budget
Division
Regional and
State Programs
Divisions
Testing services
Division
Vehicle Pro-
grams and
Compliance
Division
The Policy, Planning and Budget Division provides overall policy coor-
dination, and administrative and management systems support, including
strategic planning and budget development, to the Office Director. This
division also provides support in the areas of regulatory and program
development, management outreach, and regional and state relations.
The Regional and State Programs Division develops and implements
programs that are required by the Clean Air Act to be included in State
Implementation Plans to address the impact of in-use motor vehicles on
air pollution, land use policy, and other transportation issues.
The Testing Services Division provides emission testing services for
motor vehicle, heavy-duty engine, and nonroad engine programs in
support of rulemakings, enforcement actions, and procedures develop-
ment. Testing activities include certification, fuel economy and in-use
compliance programs. The division also analyzes fuels and fuel addi-
tives, and exhaust compounds.
The Vehicle Programs and Compliance Division develops, implements,
and assures compliance with national programs to reduce emissions
from cars, motorcycles, and light trucks. In carrying out its mission, the
Division conducts a full range of technology development and compli-
ance program implementation activities.
For More Information
Additional information on OMS programs and regulations is available
electronically from the EPA Internet server at:
http ://www. epa.gov/OMSWWW/
(look in What's New or under the specific topic)
Document information is also available by writing to:
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Mobile Sources
2565 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
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