United States Air and Radiation EPA420-F-01-028
Environmental Protection September 2001
Agency
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
for
In September 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to seek public
comment on our plan to propose more stringent emission standards for
engines on equipment including forklifts and generators, and vehicles
including snowmobiles, off-highway motorcycles and A TVs, and
recreational marine engines. This information
common questions we have heard from concerned parties.
is at for
Our analysis shows that nonroad spark-ignition engines over 19 kilowatts
("Large SI engines") emit almost 700,000 tons of hydrocarbons (HC)
plus oxides of nitrogen (NOx) each year across the United States, which
help form smog. They can also emit high levels of carbon monoxide and
toxic compounds such as benzene, which is especially problematic for
engines operating indoors. Reducing these emissions would benefit our
health and environment. The Clean Air Act requires us to set emission
standards that address these problems. These impacts are described in
more detail in "FAQ:Environmental Impacts of Recreational Vehicles
and Other Nonroad Engines" [EPA420-F-01-030].
i Printed on Recycled Paper
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the SI I
regulations?
No. Engine manufacturers must ensure each new Large SI engine sold
meets our regulations. The proposed regulations would apply only to
new engines produced after January 1, 2004. Anything manufactured
before then would not be affected and would remain legal to own and
operate. Similar requirements already apply in California.
As an of a SI I
You may not disable any emission controls installed on your engine to
meet our regulations. Manufacturers will explain in their owner's
manual what type of emission controls exist for each model. Manufac-
turers may also specify some minor maintenance you must have done to
keep emission controls working properly over the life of the engine.
is
We don't specify what emission controls manufacturers must use to
comply with the regulations, but we anticipate many manufacturers will
choose to meet them by adding technologies that have been used in cars
for many years, including electronic fuel systems and three-way catalytic
converters.
will
We are projecting an average increased cost of about $600 per engine.
This would vary somewhat based on the size of the engine and the type
of fuel that it burns.
will and
safety?
These technologies should not only reduce emissions, but substantially
improve engine performance. In fact, we expect fuel and maintenance
costs to go down enough to more than offset the extra engine costs in a
short time. None of the emission controls we are considering affect
safety.
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Will I can use my
equipment?
No. The proposed regulations don't restrict your use. They cover only
the exhaust and evaporative emissions from your new engine.
We are not proposing any new noise regulations. However, the tech-
nologies used to reduce emissions should result in some noise reduction.
I get information?
Keep an eye on our web page for Large SI engines (http://www.epa.gov/
otaq/largesi.htm) for more information and any developments. You may
comment on the issues in this fact sheet or in the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking by sending an email to nranprm@epa.gov.
For further information, please contact Alan Stout at:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
2000 Traverwood Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
stout.alan@epa.gov
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