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percent. The emissions reductions associated with this program are estimated
to result in over $70 billion in public health and welfare benefits through reduced
hospitalizations and lost work days. The proposed OBD requirements will help to
ensure that these benefits are realized.
On February 19, 1993, EPA published a final rule requiring manufacturers of
passenger vehicles to install OBD systems on vehicles beginning with the 1994
model year (58 FR 9468). The OBD systems must monitor emission control
components for any malfunction or deterioration that could cause exceedance of
certain emission thresholds. The regulation also required driver notification of any
need for repair via a dashboard light, or malfunction indicator light (MIL), when
the diagnostic system detected a problem. This is commonly referred to as the
"Check Engine" light.
On August 9, 1995, EPA published a rulemaking that set forth automotive
service information requirements for light-duty vehicles and light-duty trucks
(60 FR 40474). These regulations, in part, required each Original Equipment
Manufacturer (OEM) to list all emission-related service and repair information
on a Web site and explain how to obtain that information and at what cost. The
intent of this provision is to ensure that aftermarket service and repair facilities
have access to the same emission-related service information, in the same or
similar manner, as that provided by OEMs to their franchised dealerships. These
service information availability requirements have been revised since the 1995
rule in response to changing technology (68 FR 38428).
In October 2000, EPA published a rule requiring OBD systems on heavy-duty
vehicles and engines up to 14,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)
(65 FR 59896). In that rule, EPA expressed its intention to develop in a future
rule OBD requirements for vehicles and engines used in vehicles over 14,000
pounds. EPA again expressed this same intention in its Clean Diesel Truck and
Bus rule (66 FR 5002) which established new heavy-duty highway emissions
standards for 2007 and later model year engines.
In June 2003, EPA published a rule extending service information availability
requirements to heavy-duty vehicles and engines weighing up to 14,000 pounds
GVWR. EPA did not extend these requirements to engines above 14,000 pounds
GVWR, deciding to wait until such engines were subject to OBD requirements.
Overview of Proposal
The proposal requires manufacturers to install OBD systems that monitor the function
of emission control components and alert the vehicle operator to any detected need for
emission related repair. In addition, when a malfunction occurs, diagnostic information
must be stored in the engine's computer to assist in diagnosis and repair of the
malfunction. Also proposed are requirements that would make available to the service
Proposed OBD Requirements for Heavy-Duty Engines
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and repair industry information necessary to perform repair and maintenance service
on OBD systems and other emission related engine components. These proposed
requirements will help to ensure that the significant benefits of EPA's Clean Diesel
Program exhaust emission standards will be realized in-use. Specifically:
• For 2010 and later model year heavy-duty diesel and gasoline engines used in
trucks and buses over 14,000 pounds, we are proposing that all major emissions
control systems be monitored and malfunctions be detected prior to emissions
exceeding a set of emissions thresholds. Most notably, we are requiring that the
aftertreatment devices—e.g., the diesel particulate filters and oxides of nitrogen
(NOx) reducing catalysts—that will be used on highway diesel engines to comply
with the 2010 emissions standards will be monitored and their failure will be
detected and noted to the driver. We are also proposing that all emission-related
electronic sensors and actuators be monitored for proper operation.
• For 2010 and later highway vehicles over 14,000 pounds, we are proposing
that one engine family per manufacturer be certified to the proposed OBD
requirements in the 2010 through 2012 model years. Beginning in 2013, all
highway engines for all manufacturers would have to be certified to the proposed
OBD requirements. This phase-in is designed to spread over a number of years
the development effort required by industry and to provide industry with a
learning period prior to implementing the OBD requirements on 100 percent of
their highway product line.
• For vehicles over 14,000 pounds, the service information availability
requirements would apply for those engines certified to the OBD requirements.
• For 2010 and later model year highway heavy-duty diesel vehicles under 14,000
pounds, we are proposing a new emissions threshold for monitoring of the
diesel particulate filter. The existing requirement for these applications is to
detect a catastrophic failure of the device. We believe now that a more stringent
requirement is appropriate and feasible. The proposed emissions threshold is
consistent, both in stringency and in timing, with the proposed particulate matter
(PM) thresholds for over 14,000 pound applications.
• For 2007 and later model year highway heavy-duty diesel vehicles under 14,000
pounds, we are proposing a change to the existing emissions thresholds for
NOx emissions. The existing thresholds, typically 1.5 times the applicable
NOx standard, were established when the engine's NOx standard was much
higher than today's very low level. We believe these OBD thresholds are not
technologically feasible in the context of EPA's very stringent NOx emission
standards, and this proposal addresses that issue.
For heavy-duty diesel engines used in nonroad equipment, we are seeking comment
on possible future regulations that would require OBD systems. Diesel engines used
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in nonroad equipment are, like highway engines, a major source of NOx and PM
emissions, and the diesel engines used in nonroad equipment are essentially the same
as those used in heavy-duty highway trucks. Further, new regulations applicable to
nonroad diesel engines will result in the introduction of advanced emissions control
systems like those expected for highway diesel engines. (69 FR 38958) Therefore,
having OBD systems and OBD regulations for nonroad engines seems to be a natural
progression from the proposed requirements for heavy-duty highway engines.
Health and Environmental Effects
• In our 2007 Clean Diesel Truck and Bus rule, we estimated that the new 2007
emission standards will result in substantial benefits to the public health
and welfare through significant annual reductions in emissions of NOx, PM,
nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and air
toxics. These emission reductions will prevent 8,300 premature deaths, more
than 9,500 hospitalizations, and 1.5 million work days lost. This OBD proposal will
help to ensure that these projected benefits will be realized.
• As a result of this program, each new truck and bus will be more than 90
percent cleaner than current models. We project a 2.6 million ton reduction of
NOx emissions in 2030 when the current heavy-duty vehicle fleet is completely
replaced with newer heavy-duty vehicles that comply with the 2007 program's
emission standards. By 2030, the program will reduce annual emissions of
NMHC by 115,000 tons and PM by 109,000 tons.
• Ozone causes a range of health problems related to breathing, including chest
pain, coughing, and shortness of breath. PM is deposited deep in the lungs
and causes premature death, increased emergency room visits, and increased
respiratory symptoms and disease. With both ozone and PM, children and the
elderly are most at risk. In addition, ozone, NOx, and PM adversely affect the
environment in various ways, including crop damage, acid rain, and visibility
impairment.
• We have not estimated new emissions reductions associated with this proposal.
We consider OBD to be a critical element to an overall emissions control
program. As such, OBD requirements and their associated benefits were
assumed in our estimated emissions reductions associated with the 2007 Clean
Diesel Truck and Bus Program.
Cost Effects
We project that the proposed OBD requirements will result in an increased cost of
roughly $50 per diesel engine and $60 per gasoline engine used in applications over
14,000 pounds. We project that the proposed new requirements for diesel heavy-duty
applications under 14,000 pounds will cost roughly $5 per engine or vehicle.
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Public Participation Opportunities
We welcome your comments on this proposed rule. Comments will be accepted for 60
days beginning when this proposal is published in the Federal Register. All comments
should be identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2005-0047 and submitted by one of
the following methods:
• Internet: www.regulations.gov
• E-mail: A-and-R-Docket@epa.gov
• Mail:
Environmental Protection Agency
EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC)
Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center
1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20460
• Hand delivery:
EPA Docket Center
EPA West Building
Room 3340
1301 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC
For More Information
You can access the proposed rule and related documents on EPAs Office of
Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) Web site at:
www.epa.gov/obd/reqtech/heavv.htm
For additional information specific to OBD, please contact:
• Todd Sherwood
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Vehicle and Fuels Emission Laboratory
Assessment and Standards Division
2000Traverwood, Ann Arbor, Ml 48105
phone: 734-214-4405
fax: 734-214-4816
E-mail: sherwood.todd@epa.gov
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For additional information specific to service information availability, please contact:
• Holly Pugliese
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Vehicle and Fuels Emission Laboratory
Compliance and Innovative Strategies Division
2000Traverwood, Ann Arbor, Ml 48105
phone: 734-214-4288
fax: 734-214-4869
E-mail: pualiese.hollv@epa.aov
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