&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Radiation
EPA420-F-96-008
July 1996
Office of Mobile Sources
EPA is in the process of developing national emission
standards for new locomotives, which are expected to be
finalized by the end of 1997. Current unregulated locomotives
are estimated to contribute about four percent of the total
nationwide emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), which is
about nine percent of the nationwide mobile source NOx
emissions. This makes locomotives one of the largest
remaining unregulated sources of NOx emissions.
National
Program in
Development
Since locomotive emissions have not been regulated before, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must create a comprehen-
sive program, including emission standards, test procedures, and a
full compliance program. In general terms, the overall program is
expected to be similar to previously established programs for heavy-
duty highway engines and other nonroad engines.
One unique feature expected to be included for locomotives,
however, is the regulation of the engine remanufacturing process,
including the remanufacture of locomotives originally manufactured
prior to the effective date of this rulemaking. Regulation of the
remanufacturing process is critical because locomotives are
generally remanufactured 5 to 10 times during their total service
lives (typically 40 years or more). Standards that only affected
locomotives originally manufactured after the effective date of the
rule would not achieve significant emissions reductions for many
years, until the new locomotives slowly replaced the existing fleet.
-------
Significant
Reduction in
Emissions
Expected
This rule is expected to be finalized by the end of 1997, and to take
effect in 2000. EPA expects to propose emission standards that will
achieve a 40 percent reduction in fleet-wide locomotive NOx
emissions by 2005. This reduction will result primarily from the
regulation of existing locomotives when they are remanufactured.
Ultimately, when fully phased-in, EPA expects the new standards to
achieve a reduction in NOx emissions of more than 60 percent. The
impact on total nationwide NOx emissions will be about 2 percent.
Standards are also being considered that would reduce particulate
emissions from locomotives by 50 percent.
For
information
For more information on this program, please contact the Office of
Mobile Sources by calling 313-668-4333 or writing to:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory
2565 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105
The Office of Mobile Sources also has information available on the
EPA Internet server and via dial-up modem on the Technology
Transfer Network (TTN), an electronic bulletin board system (BBS).
World Wide Web: http://www.epa.gov/OMSWWW
TTN BBS: 919-541-5742 (1200-14400 bps, no parity, 8 data bits
1 stop bit); voice helpline: 919-541-5384
-2-
------- |