United States Air and Radiation EPA420-F-01-027
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 ATVs, and
recreational marine boats. This information sheet addresses common
questions we have heard from concerned ATV owners.
Why is EPA looking at new emission controls for
ATVs?
Our analysis shows that ATVs emit more than 381,000 tons of hydrocar-
bons (HC), 1,860,000 tons of carbon monoxide (CO), and 11,000 tons of
oxides of nitrogen (NOx) each year across the United States. These
emissions help form smog and contain toxic compounds such as ben-
zene, so reducing them 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: Environ-
mental Impacts of Recreational Vehicles and Other Nonroad Engines"
[EPA420-F-01-030].
> Printed on Recycled Paper
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IViust the ATV I own regulations?
No. ATV manufacturers must ensure each new ATV sold meets our
regulations. The proposed regulations would apply only to new ATVs
produced after a specified model year. Anything manufactured before
that model year would not be affected and would remain legal to own
and operate. We usually allow several years of lead time between publi-
cation of a final rule and the effective date of new standards. Thus, new
standards for ATVs won't affect the ATV you bought before this year or
any ATV you buy for the next several years.
As an ATV owner what must I do?
You may not disable any emission controls installed on your ATV 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 ATV.
What kind of emission controls is EPA considering?
We are proposing standards that manufacturers would meet on an aver-
age basis, which may encourage manufacturers to use a broader array of
technologies across their product line. 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 using four-
stroke engines instead of two-stroke engines. Some manufacturers may
also slightly change the air-fuel mixture. Others may decide to use a
technology such as advanced fuel injection or catalytic converters on
some models to meet regulations.
How much will controls cost?
Your cost for emission controls depends on the control used, manufactur-
ing processes, the size of the manufacturer, and other issues. Most ATV
models are already equipped with four-stroke engines, and we estimate
the cost for these models to range from less than $20 to about $80. We
estimate the cost to replace a two-stroke engine with a four-stroke engine
is about $220 to $350 depending on engine size. But, with a four-stroke
engine, you are likely to save money over the life of your ATV because a
four-stroke engine consumes approximately 25% less fuel and much less
oil than a two-stroke engine. Four-stroke engines are also more durable,
so major repairs are less frequent.
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How will controls performance and
safety?
We don't expect the controls to harm performance or safety. Manufac-
turers have advanced ATV designs over the last few years, so four-stroke
engines now perform as well as - possibly better than - two-stroke
engines. Also, manufacturers will have several years of lead-time to
perfect designs. None of the emission controls we are considering affect
safety. Some people have expressed concern about high temperatures
from catalytic converters. However, any catalysts used on ATVs would
be smaller than those that have already been used on highway motor-
cycles for many years without incident. Shielding technology from the
automotive industry makes catalytic converters even safer to use.
Will regulations where I can ride my
ATV?
No. The proposed regulations don't restrict your use. They cover only
the exhaust emissions from your new ATV.
Will EPA publish noise regulations?
We are not proposing any new noise regulations. Most ATV manufac-
turers design ATVs that already meet noise standards for off-highway
motorcycles. But we do ask for comment on whether we should estab-
lish separate noise standards for ATVs.
Where can I get more information?
Keep an eye on our web page for recreational vehicles (http://
www.epa.gov/otaq/recveh.htm) for more information and any develop-
ments. You may comment on the issues in this fact sheet or in the
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) by sending an email to
nranprm@epa.gov.
For further information, please contact Line Wehrly at:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
2000 Traverwood Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
(734)214-4380
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