[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 89 (Thursday, May 8, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 25368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11675]



  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 89 / Thursday, May 8, 1997 / Proposed 
Rules  

[[Page 25368]]



ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 87

[AMS-FRL-5821-2]
RIN 2060-AF50


Control of Air Pollution From Aircraft and Aircraft Engines; 
Emission Standards and Test Procedures

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This rulemaking proposes to amend the existing United States 
regulations governing the exhaust emissions from new commercial 
aircraft gas turbine engines. Under the authority of section 231 of the 
Clean Air Act (CAA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is 
proposing new emission standards for oxides of nitrogen 
(NOX) and carbon monoxide (CO) for newly manufactured and 
newly certified commercial aircraft gas turbine engines with rated 
thrust greater than 26.7 kilonewtons (kN). This action proposes to 
codify into United States law the current voluntary NOX (a 
two-staged NOX standard) and CO emission standards of the 
United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and 
thereby would bring the United States emission standards into alignment 
with the internationally adopted standards. These ICAO CO and 
NOX standards would be added to the current EPA regulations 
for smoke and hydrocarbon emissions that have been in effect since 
1984. EPA is also proposing to adopt ICAO's requirement that these 
standards also apply to engine designs which are substitutes for 
turbojet and turbofan engines (e.g. propfan, unducted fan, and advanced 
ducted fan). In addition, EPA proposes to amend the test procedures for 
gaseous exhaust emissions and smoke exhaust emissions to correspond to 
recent amendments to the ICAO test procedures for these emissions. EPA 
also proposes to amend its certification test fuel specifications to 
make them consistent with ICAO's test fuel specifications.
    All of the affected engines are already meeting the ICAO CO and 
first-stage NOX emission standards that EPA is proposing to 
adopt today. Most engines also meet the ICAO second-stage 
NOX standard; only a few models need minor reductions in 
emissions to meet this standard. In addition, most manufacturers 
routinely measure these emissions today even though it is not required 
by federal regulation. The proposed amendments to the emission test 
procedures are those recommended by ICAO and are widely used by the 
aircraft engine industry today. Thus, today's proposal would establish 
consistency between U.S. and international standards, test procedures, 
and other requirements. Since aircraft and aircraft engines are 
international commodities, there is some commercial benefit to 
consistency between U.S. and international emission standards and 
control program requirements (i.e., easier to qualify products for 
international markets since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 
can certify engines for ICAO compliance). In addition, today's action 
ensures that domestic commercial aircraft would meet the current 
international standards, and thus, the public can be assured they are 
receiving the air quality benefits of the international standards.
    Because the Agency views the provisions of this proposed rulemaking 
as noncontroversial and does not expect to receive adverse comments, 
these provisions are also being issued as a direct final rule in the 
Final Rules section of this Federal Register.

DATES: Comments on the regulations proposed by this action must be 
received on or before June 9, 1997. If EPA conducts public hearings on 
today's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), EPA will publish a timely 
document in the Federal Register that specifies the time and location 
of such hearings.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may submit written comments in response 
to this notice (in duplicate if possible) to Public Docket No. A-94-66, 
at: Air Docket Section, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Attention: Docket No. A-94-66, First Floor, Waterside Mall, Room M-
1500, 401 M Street SW., Washington, DC 20460. A copy of the comments 
should also be sent to Bryan Manning, U.S. EPA (EPCD-12), Engine 
Programs and Compliance Division, 2565 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 
48105.
    Materials relevant to this notice have been placed in Docket No. A-
94-66 by EPA. The docket is located at the above address and may be 
inspected from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays. EPA may charge a 
reasonable fee for copying docket materials.
    A copy of this action and the Regulatory Support Document is 
available through TTNBBS under OMS, Rulemaking and Reporting, Aircraft 
Engine Emissions. TTNBBS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 
except Monday morning from 8-12 eastern standard time (EST), when the 
system is down for maintenance and backup. For help in accessing the 
system, call the systems operator at 919-541-5384 in Research Triangle 
Park, North Carolina, during normal business hours EST. In addition, 
the TTNBBS can be accessed through the following internet addresses: 
World Wide Web: http://ttnwww.rtpnc.epa.gov or TELNET: 
ttnbbs.rtpnc.epa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bryan Manning, U.S. EPA (EPCD-12), 
Engine Programs and Compliance Division, 2565 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, 
MI 48105. Telephone (313) 741-7832.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of section 231 of the 
CAA, EPA today proposes to adopt the 1986 ICAO CO and NOX 
emission standards and ICAO's amendments of July 1993, which include a 
more stringent NOX standard for the future and other test 
procedure changes. These proposed revisions pertain to 40 CFR part 87 
subparts A, C, G, and H. EPA considers these proposed changes to the 
regulations to be noncontroversial, and thus, these changes will be 
finalized as a direct final rule in the Final Rules section of the 
Federal Register. For further supplemental information, the detailed 
rationale, and the revisions to the regulations, see the information 
provided in the direct final rule.
    If no adverse comments are timely received, no further activity is 
contemplated in relation to this proposed rule and the direct final 
rule in the Final Rules section of this Federal Register will 
automatically go into effect on the date specified in that rule. If 
adverse comments are timely received on the direct final rule, the rule 
will be withdrawn and all public comment received on it will be 
addressed in a subsequent final rule based on the proposed rule. 
Because the Agency will not institute a second comment period on this 
proposed rule, any parties interested in commenting should do so during 
this comment period.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 87

    Environmental protection, Incorporation by reference, Aircraft 
engines.

    Dated: April 29, 1997.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 97-11675 Filed 5-7-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P