United States Air and Radiation EPA420-F-02-038
Environmental Protection September 2002
Agency
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
&EPA Regulatory
Announcement
Frequently Asked Questions from
AW Riders
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has adopted
emission standards for recreational vehicles, including snowmobiles,
off-highway motorcycles and ATVs. This information sheet addresses
questions we have heard from ATV owners.
Why is EPA adopting emission standards for ATVs?
All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) currently emit about 130,000 tons of hydro-
carbons (HC), 550,000 tons of carbon monoxide (CO), and 4,000 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 will benefit our health and environment. In the
Clean Air Act, Congress requires us to set emission standards that
address these problems. These environmental impacts are described in
more detail in the fact sheet referenced below.
Does my current ATV need to meet these
regulations?
No. ATV manufacturers must ensure that each new ATV sold meets the
new emission standards. The new standards apply only to new ATVs
produced in 2006 or later. Anything manufactured before that model
year would not be affected. We allow several years of lead time between
publication of a final rule and the effective date of new standards. New
emission standards for ATVs therefore won't affect the ATV you own
now or any ATV you buy before 2006.
Kp Printed on Recycled Paper
-------
As an ATV
You may not disable any emission controls installed on your ATV.
Manufacturers explain in their owner's manual what type of emission
controls exist for each model. Manufacturers may also specify some
minor maintenance that must be done to keep emission controls working
properly over the life of the ATV.
of is requiring?
We require manufacturers to meet emission standards on an average
basis, which will encourage them to use a broader range of technologies
across their product line. We don't tell manufacturers what emission
controls to use to comply with the regulations, but we anticipate many
manufacturers will choose to meet them by using four-stroke engines,
which are already common in ATV models. Manufacturers may also
optimize the air-fuel mixture to control emissions or add air to the ex-
haust stream to further reduce emissions. Manufacturers could also
develop fuel-injection systems or add catalytic converters to control
emissions.
We are also adopting requirements to control permeation emissions from
ATV fuel systems. We expect these requirements to lead to the use of
improved materials that reduce the permeation of fuel through fuel tanks
and hoses and into the atmosphere. This should noticeably reduce the
smell of gasoline from your ATV.
will
The cost for emission controls depends on the technology used, the
manufacturing processes, the size of the manufacturer, and other issues.
Most ATV models are already equipped with four-stroke engines, and we
expect the manufacturers' cost for these models to range from less than
$20 to about $50. We estimate the cost of replacing a two-stroke engine
with a four-stroke engine to be about $200 to $400, depending on engine
size. But, with a four-stroke engine, these costs will be offset somewhat,
because a four-stroke engine uses about 25 percent less fuel and less oil
than a two-stroke engine. The permeation requirements are expected to
cost less than $10 per vehicle, which is also offset by fuel savings.
-------
will and
safety?
We don't expect the controls to harm performance or safety. Manufac-
turers have improved ATV designs over the last few years, so four-
stroke engines now perform as well as—and possibly better than—two-
stroke engines. Also, manufacturers will have several years of lead time
to perfect designs. None of the emission controls manufacturers are
expected to use affect safety.
do ATVs
We estimated the amount of pollution coming from ATVs based on
testing of currently unregulated recreational vehicles. Because there are
both two-stroke and four-stroke engines currently used in ATVs and
these engines have significantly different emission characteristics, we
estimated separate baseline emission rates for each type of engine. Our
estimates of baseline and future emission rates for ATVs are shown in
the following table.
Engine Category
Baseline two-stroke
Baseline four-stroke
ATVs meeting FPA standards
ATV Emission Rates (grams per mile)*
HC
53.9
2.4
1.6
CO
54.1
48.5
42.9
NOx
0.2
0.4
0.3
PM
2.1
0.1
0.1
* Manufacturers meet standards based on emission rates in grams per kilome-
ter; emission estimates are presented here in grams per mile for convenience in
comparing with other programs.
Will I can my
ATV?
No. These regulations do not include any specific restrictions about
where you can ride ATVs. They cover only the exhaust and fuel system
permeation emissions from your new ATV.
We are not including any new noise regulations. Most manufacturers
produce ATVs that already meet EPA noise standards for off-highway
motorcycles and we expect this practice to continue.
-------
Do apply in California?
California already has emission standards for ATVs. Their program has
been in place since 1997. Our regulations will not affect the California
program, although California may decide to adopt our program in the
future, especially since they do not have requirements for controlling
permeation emissions.
do youth ATVs?
Youth ATVs are included in these regulations, although manufacturers
have the option to meet slightly less stringent standards for youth models
than for adult ATVs.
I get
You can access documents on recreational vehicles on the Office of
Transportation and Air Quality Web site at:
www. epa. gov/otaq/recveh. htm
You can also contact us at:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
Assessment and Standards Division
2000 Traverwood Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Voice-mail: (734) 214-4636
E-mail: asdinfo@epa.gov
See other fact sheets:
• Emission Standards for New Nonroad Engines— Large Industrial Spark-
ignition Engines, Recreational Marine Diesel Engines, and Recreational
Vehicles (EPA420-F-02-037)
• Environmental Impacts of Newly Regulated Nonroad Engines
(EPA420-F-02-033)
* Frequently Asked Questions: Emission Exemption for Racing Motorcycles and
Other Competition Vehicles (EPA420-F-02-045)
• How to Maintain or Rebuild Engines Certified to EPA Standards
(EPA420-F-02-035)
------- |