[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 115 (Monday, June 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32599-32602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15729]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5842-4]
Retrofit/Rebuild Requirements for 1993 and Earlier Model Year
Urban Buses; Public Review of a Notification of Intent To Certify
Equipment
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice of Agency receipt of a notification of intent to certify
equipment and initiation of comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Agency has received a notification of intent to certify
urban bus retrofit/rebuild equipment pursuant to 40 CFR Part 85,
Subpart O from the Engelhard Corporation (Engelhard). Pursuant to
Sec. 85.1407(a)(7), today's Federal Register notice summarizes the
notification below, announces that the notification is available for
public review and comment, and initiates a 45-day period during which
comments can be submitted. The Agency will review this notification of
intent to certify, as well as comments received, to determine whether
the equipment described in the notification of intent to certify should
be certified. If certified, the equipment can be used by urban bus
operators to reduce the particulate matter of urban bus engines.
The Engelhard notification of intent to certify, as well as other
materials specifically relevant to it, is contained in category XVII-A
of Public Docket A-93-42, entitled ``Certification of Urban Bus
Retrofit/Rebuild Equipment.'' This docket is at the address below.
Today's notice initiates a 45-day period during which the Agency
will accept written comments relevant to whether or not the equipment
included in this notification of intent to certify
[[Page 32600]]
should be certified. Comments should be provided in writing to Public
Docket A-93-42, Category XVII-A, at the address below. An identical
copy should be submitted to Anthony Erb, also at the address below.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 31, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Submit separate copies of comments to the two following
addresses:
1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Public Docket A-93-42
(Category VIII-A), Room M-1500, 401 M Street SW., Washington, DC 20460.
2. Anthony Erb, Engine Compliance and Programs Group, Engine
Programs & Compliance Division (6403J), 401 M Street SW., Washington,
DC 20460.
Docket items may be inspected from 8:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday. As provided in 40 CFR Part 2, a reasonable fee
may be charged by the Agency for copying docket materials.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anthony Erb, Engine Programs &
Compliance Division (6403J), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401
M Street SW., Washington, DC 20460. Telephone: (202) 233-9259.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On April 21, 1993, the Agency published final Retrofit/Rebuild
Requirements for 1993 and Earlier model Year Urban Buses (58 FR 21359).
The retrofit/rebuild program is intended to reduce the ambient levels
of particulate matter (PM) in urban areas and is limited to 1993 and
earlier model year (MY) urban buses operating in metropolitan areas
with 1980 populations of 750,000 or more, whose engines are rebuilt or
replaced after January 1, 1995. Operators of the affected buses are
required to choose between two compliance programs: Program 1 sets
particulate matter emissions requirements for each urban bus engine in
an operator's fleet which is rebuilt or replaced; Program 2 is a fleet
averaging program that establishes specific annual target levels for
average PM emissions from urban buses in an operator's fleet.
Certification of retrofit/rebuild equipment is a key element of the
retrofit/rebuild. To show compliance under either of the compliance
programs, operators of the affected buses must use equipment that has
been certified by the Agency. Emissions requirements under either of
the two compliance programs depend on the availability of certified
retrofit/rebuild equipment for each engine model. To be used for
Program 1, equipment must be certified as meeting a 0.10 g/bhp-hr PM
standard or as achieving a 25 percent reduction in PM. Equipment used
for Program 2 must be certified as providing some level of PM reduction
that would in turn be claimed by urban bus operators when calculating
their average fleet PM levels attained under the program. For Program
1, information on life cycle costs must be submitted in the
notification of intent to certify in order for certification of the
equipment to initiate (or trigger) program requirements. To trigger
program requirements, the certifier must guarantee that the equipment
will be available to all affected operators for a life cycle cost of
$7,940 or less at the 0.10 g/bhp-hr PM level, or for a life cycle cost
of $2,000 or less for the 25 percent or greater reduction in PM. Both
of these values are based on 1992 dollars.
II. Notification of Intent To Certify
By a notification of intent to certify signed November 18, 1996,
Engelhard has applied for certification of equipment applicable to all
Cummins L-10 engines that were originally manufactured prior to and
including 1993.
The notification of intent to certify states that the candidate
equipment will reduce PM emissions 25 percent or more on petroleum-
fueled diesel engines that have been rebuilt to Cummins specifications.
Pricing information has been submitted with the notification, along
with a guarantee that the equipment will be offered to all affected
operators for less than the incremental life cycle cost ceiling.
Therefore, this equipment may trigger program requirements for the 25%
reduction standard. If certified as a trigger of this standard, urban
bus operators will be required to use this retrofit/rebuild equipment
or other equipment certified to provide a PM reduction as discussed
below.
The equipment being certified is a ``catalytic Converter Muffler''
or CMXTM, that is a muffler containing an oxidation
catalyst. The CMX is intended to replace the standard muffler
previously installed in the engine eshaust system. The CMX is intended
to be maintenance free, requiring no service for the full in-use
compliance perior. The engine fuel to be used with this equipment is
standard diesel fuel with a maximum sulfur content of 0.05 wt.% sulfur.
Engelhard has requested approval for all Cummins L-10 engines
manufactured prior to and including 1993. Engelhard presents exhaust
emission data from testing a 1992 280hp Cummins L-10 EC (electronic
control) engine. Engelhard states that the engine selected can be
considered worst case for an after treatment device because of the
extremely low baseline emissions. Engelhard states that the low PM
emissions provide less for the catalyst to work on, thus making it
harder for the catalyst to achieve the 25% reduction. EPA notes that
this interpretation of worst case in not in accordance with the
regulation which states that EPA will allow results to be extrapolated
to engine types and model years known to have engine out PM levels
equal to or less than that of the test engine. In the case at hand, the
test engine has a pre-rebuild PM emission level of 0.25 g/bhp-hr. The
PM levels listed in the table at Sec. 85.1403(c)(1)(iii)(A) for all
Cummins models (other than the L-10 EC) are higher than the stated
level for the test engine. Under the regulations, a test engine can
serve only as a worst case for engines that have an original
certification level that is equal to or less than the emission level of
the test engine. Based on the regulations and worst case definition in
the regulations, at this time EPA believes that this certification may
only be applicable to the 1992-1993 L-10 EC model, as this is the only
model that fulfills the worst-case criteria. EPA welcomes comments and
supporting information relative to this issue.
Engelhard has stated that it may supply additional testing data on
another engine that may meet the worst case criteria in the future
which may alter the applicability of this application. EPA will
consider such information and provide the opportunity for public
comment at that time. However, pending receipt of that additional data,
EPA welcomes comments based on the information presented herein.
The test engine was a new 1992 280 hp Cummins L-10 EC (electronic
control) engine obtained from the National Institute for Petroleum and
Energy Research. The engine had approximately 250 hours of break in
time before testing. Two tests were conducted, one test was performed
on the engine without the CMX and a second test was performed on the
same engine after retrofit with the CMX. The test data show a PM level
of 0.105 g/bhp-hr for the base engine without the CMX, and a PM level
of 0.073 g/bhp-hr with the candidate equipment installed. This
represents a PM reduction of 30% with candidate equipment installed.
The test data also show that hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO),
and oxides of nitrogen (NOX) are
[[Page 32601]]
less than applicable standards. Fuel consumption is not affected when
the candidate equipment is installed based on comparison to the test
results. Engelhard presents smoke emission measurements for the engine
demonstrating compliance with applicable standards.
Table A.--Exhaust Emissions Summary
[G/BHP-HR]
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1992 Cummins L-10 EC 1992 Cummins L-10 EC
Gaseous and particulate test Standards baseline with CMX
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HC................................... 1.3................... 0.27................... 0.12
CO................................... 15.5................... 1.46................... 0.74
NOX.................................. 5.0................... 5.0.................... 4.88
PM................................... 0.25.................. 0.105.................. \1\ 0.073
BSFC\2\.............................. ....................... 0.373.................. 0.368
Smoke Test...........................
ACCEL................................ 20 (percent)........... 3.1 (percent).......... 3.9 (percent)
LUG.................................. 15 (percent)........... 1.9 (percent).......... 1.2 (percent)
PEAK................................. 50 (percent)........... 6.0 (percent).......... 6.6 (percent)
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\1\ The PM level listed in Table A differs from the level listed in the notification of intent to certify as the
hot start test cited in the original notification was not valid. However, the PM level listed in Table B is
based on a valid hot start test (H-2) which was conducted in conjunction with the cold start test.
\2\ Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (BSFC) is measured in units of lb/bhp-hr.
Engelhard indicates that the CMX muffler kit equipment will have an
incremental maximum cost (in 1992 dollars) to the bus operator of
$1,790.00 and will require six hours of installation time @ $35.00 per
hours. Thus, the total incremental cost according to Engelhard will be
$2,000.00 (1992 dollars). Engelhard states that there will be no
incremental fuel cost, or maintenance cost compared to the currently
available standard rebuild. Therefore, the candidate equipment will be
offered to all affected operators for a maximum life cycle cost of
$2,000 (1992 dollars). Currently, no equipment is certified for the
1992 Cummins L-10 EC model engine, accordingly, if certified, this
equipment would trigger the 25 percent reduction standard.
If the Agency certifies the candidate Engelhard equipment operators
will be affected as follows. Under Program 1, this certification would
trigger requirements for all rebuilds of applicable L-10 EC engines
performed six months following the effective date of certification
requiring the use of this equipment or other equipment certified in the
meantime to provide at least a 25 percent reduction. With regard to the
L-10 models included in this notification on intent to certify by
Engelhard, equipment has already been certified demonstrating the 25%
reduction.
The requirement to use certified equipment demonstrating at least a
25% reduction in PM will continue for the applicable engines until such
time as equipment is certified to trigger the 0.10 g/bhp-hr emission
standard for less than a life cycle cost of $7,940 (in 1992 dollars).
If the Agency certifies the candidate Engelhard equipment, operators
who choose to comply with Program 2 and install this equipment will use
the PM emission level(s) established during the certification review
process in their calculations for target or fleet level as specified in
the program regulations. Emission levels proposed by Engelhard are
provided in Table B. However, as noted above, EPA at this time believes
that this certification would only apply to the 1992 and 1993 L-10 EC
models.
Table B.--Certification Levels
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Baseline PM PM emissions
Cummins engine model Model year levels with CMX
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L-10................................................... 1985-1987 0.65 0.50
L-10................................................... 1988-1989 0.55 0.41
L-10................................................... 1990-1991 0.46 0.34
L-10 EC................................................ 1992-1993 0.25 0.19
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At a minimum, EPA expects to evaluate this notification of intent
to certify, and other materials submitted as applicable, to determine
whether there is adequate demonstration of compliance with: (1) the
certification requirements of Sec. 85.1406, including whether the
testing accurately proves the claimed emission reduction or emission
levels; and, (2) the requirements of Sec. 85.1407 for a notification of
intent to certify, including whether the data provided by Engelhard
complies with the life cycle cost requirements.
The Agency requests that those commenting also consider these
regulatory requirements, plus provide comments on any experience or
knowledge concerning: (a) Problems with installing, maintaining, and/or
using the candidate equipment on applicable engines; and, (b) Whether
the equipment is compatible with affected vehicles.
The date of this notice initiates a 45-day period during which the
Agency will accept written comments relevant to whether or not the
equipment described in the Engelhard notification of intent to certify
should be certified pursuant to the urban bus retrofit/rebuild
regulations. Interested parties
[[Page 32602]]
are encouraged to review the notification of intent to certify and
provide comment during the 45-day period. Please send separate copies
of your comments to each of the above two addresses.
The Agency will review this notification of intent to certify,
along with comments received from interested parties, and attempt to
resolve or clarify issues as necessary. During the review process, the
Agency may add additional documents to the docket as a result of the
review process. These documents will also be available for public
review and comment within the 45-day period.
Mary D. Nichols,
Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 97-15729 Filed 6-13-97; 8:45 am]
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