[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 74 (Monday, April 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19151-19153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-9719]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6328-2]


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 45-day public review and comment period.

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SUMMARY: Turbodyne Systems, Inc. (Turbodyne) has submitted to the 
Agency a notification of intent to certify urban bus retrofit/rebuild 
equipment to a 0.10 gram per brake-horsepower-hr(g/bhp-hr) particulate 
matter(PM) standard pursuant to 40 CFR part 85, subpart O. The 
equipment, referred to by Turbodyne consists of the base engine 
components used on the 25% reduction retrofit/rebuild kit certified by 
DDC (October 2, 1995), components from the 25% retrofit catalyst kit 
previously certified under the program by Engine Control Systems, Ltd. 
(January 6, 1997), and a TurboPac supercharger system supplied by 
Turbodyne which supplies additional charge air during engine 
acceleration. The candidate kit is applicable to all 6V-92TA MUI engine 
models made by DDC for model years 1979 to 1989 and equipped with 
mechanical unit injectors (MUI). In a letter dated September 28, 1998 
Turbodyne has stated that there are no differences between the 
Turbodyne kit and the kit which was certified for the Detroit Diesel 
Corporation to meet the 0.10 g/bhp-hr PM standard under the Urban Bus 
Retrofit/Rebuild program on April 6, 1998 and notification published in 
the Federal Register on May 14, 1998 (63 FR 26798). Turbodyne intends 
this equipment to be certified to the PM level of 0.10 g/bhp-hr. If the 
Agency certifies that this equipment complies with the 0.10 g/bhp-hr 
level, then operators with affected engines will have the choice of 
using this equipment or other equipment that is already required for 
use and certified to the 0.10 g/bhp-hr standard.
    Pursuant to section 85.1407(a)(7), today's Federal Register 
document summarizes the notification, 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 any comments it 
receives, 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 notification of intent to certify, as well as other materials 
specifically relevant to it, are contained in Category XXIII-A of 
Public Docket A-93-42, entitled ``Certification of Urban Bus Retrofit/
Rebuild Equipment.'' This docket is located at the address listed 
below.
    Today's document 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 should be certified. 
Comments should be provided in writing to the addresses below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 3, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Submit separate copies of comments to each of the two 
following addresses:
    1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Public Air Docket A-93-42 
(Category XXIII-A), Room M-1500, 401 M Street S.W., Washington, DC 
20460.
    2. Anthony Erb, Engine Compliance Programs Group, Engine Programs 
and Compliance Division (6403J), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
401 ``M'' Street S.W., Washington, DC 20460.
    The DDC notification of intent to certify, as well as other 
materials specifically relevant to it, are contained in the public 
docket indicated above. 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 and 
Compliance Division (6403J), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 
M St. SW, Washington, D.C. 20460. Telephone: (202) 564-9259.

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 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 options: Option 1 establishes particulate 
matter emissions requirements for each urban bus engine in an 
operator's fleet which is rebuilt or replaced; Option 2 is a fleet 
averaging program that establishes a specific annual target level for 
average PM emissions from urban buses in an operator's fleet.

[[Page 19152]]

    A key aspect of the program is certification of retrofit/rebuild 
equipment, which begins when an equipment manufacturer submits an 
application for certification (referred to in the rule as a 
notification of intent to certify). To meet either of the two 
compliance options, operators of the affected buses must use equipment 
that has been certified by EPA. Emissions requirements under either of 
the two options depend on the availability of retrofit/rebuild 
equipment certified for each engine model. To be used for Option 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 Option 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.
    Under Option 1, additional information regarding cost must be 
submitted in the notification, in order for certification of that 
equipment to initiate (or trigger) program requirements for a 
particular engine model. In order for the equipment to serve as a 
trigger, the certifier must guarantee that the equipment will be 
offered to affected operators for $7,940 or less at the 0.10 g/bhp-hr 
PM level, or for $2,000 or less for the 25 percent or greater reduction 
in PM. Both of the above amounts are based on 1992 dollars and include 
life cycle costs incremental to the cost of a standard rebuild.

II. Notification of Intent To Certify

    In a notification of intent to certify equipment signed November 
14, 1997, Turbodyne applied for certification of equipment under the 
Environmental Protection Agency's (the Agency) Urban Bus Retrofit/
Rebuild Program. In a letter dated September 28, 1998 Turbodyne 
provided additional information indicating that the Turbodyne kit was 
identical to the Detroit Diesel 0.10 g/bhp-hr PM kit which was 
certified by letter on April 6, 1998 and applicable to the same engine 
models. The candidate kit is applicable to all 6V-92TA, urban bus 
engine models made by Detroit Diesel Corporation from model year 1979 
to 1989 and equipped with mechanical unit injectors (MUI). The 
equipment, consists of the base engine components used on the 25% 
reduction retrofit/rebuild kit certified by DDC, components from the 
25% retrofit catalyst kit certified by Engine Control Systems, Ltd. 
(ECS) and a TurboPac supercharger system supplied by Turbodyne Systems, 
Inc. that supplies additional charge air during engine acceleration. 
The kit would be available in three horsepower levels (253, 277, and 
294) for 6V-92TA engines.
    The equipment to be certified includes three distinct hardware 
sets. The three sets included are as follows:
    Base engine components include the equipment certified by DDC to 
provide a 25% reduction in PM (60FR 51472; October 2, 1995. These 
components are provided in two separate sets of parts. The first set of 
components is comprised of newly manufactured parts, including a gasket 
kit, air inlet hose, cylinder kits (piston assemblies and cylinder 
liners) a by-pass valve and a truck type throttle delay. The second set 
of components includes ReliabiltTM remanufactured parts, 
including the fuel injectors, camshafts, blower assembly, turbocharger, 
and head assemblies. Kit usage is based on engine rotation (righthand 
(RH) or lefthand (LH)), engine orientation, right bank cam gear 
mounting (bolt or nut), and engine power output based on injector size. 
The only differences from the previously certified equipment is the 
inclusion of a truck style throttle delay, adjustment to the throttle 
delay and injector timing settings to improve driveability.
    The converter/muffler supplied by ECS was certified by EPA (see 62 
FR 746; January 6, 1997) to provide a 25% reduction in PM emissions. 
The kit consists of an oxidation converter/muffler (CM) which was 
developed specifically for diesel applications, and is packaged as a 
direct replacement for the vehicle's muffler. Several kits will be 
provided to accommodate the installation requirements of the various 
engine and vehicle configurations.
    The third component set consists of an electrically powered 
supercharger system which is supplied by Turbodyne Systems, Inc. This 
component set, referred to as the TurboPacTM supplies 
additional intake air during engine acceleration from low engine 
speeds. Based on the Turbodyne information presented, in addition to 
decreasing PM emissions and visible smoke during engine acceleration, 
the supercharger also improves engine response and vehicle driveability 
by reducing the fuel modulation during acceleration. The basic kit 
consists of a blower, a diverter valve, a boost pressure sensor, an 
electrical control box and power cables, and a throttle switch for 
detecting the start of the engine acceleration mode. The equipment will 
be supplied in two kits, one includes those components common to all 
installations and a second kit to accommodate the installation 
requirements of the various engine and vehicle configurations.
    To complete an engine rebuild two (2) base engine component kits, 
one (1) converter muffler kit, and two (2) supercharger kits would be 
required. The specific kits used will depend on the engine/vehicle 
combination.
    There are no differences in the service intervals or maintenance 
practices for the base engine associated with the installation of the 
upgrade kit. The converter/muffler requires no regularly scheduled 
maintenance, only an occasional cleaning if the maximum backpressure of 
the exhaust system is exceeded according to DDC. The supercharger does 
not require scheduled maintenance: however, a visual inspection for air 
leaks is recommended whenever the engine is serviced.
    Standard procedures as described in the service manual for 92 
Series engines are to be used when rebuilding the base engines using 
the candidate equipment. No unique rebuild procedures are required.
    Use of the candidate kit is restricted to 6V-92TA Detroit Diesel 
engines manufactured from January 1979 through December 1989, equipped 
with mechanical unit fuel injectors (MUI), and originally certified to 
meet Federal emission standards. The required fuel is low sulfur (0.05% 
max by weight) diesel fuel, either number 1 or number 2.
    The notification states that the candidate equipment achieves a 
particulate matter (PM) level of 0.10 g/bhp-hr. Turbodyne has not 
supplied life cycle cost information and is not requesting 
certification based on cost to operators. The use of the equipment by 
transit operators to meet program requirements is discussed below.
    Turbodyne presents exhaust emissions data from testing a Detroit 
Diesel Corporation (DDC) engine in accordance with procedures set forth 
at 40 CFR part 86, subparts N and I. This is the same test engine and 
test data that was presented in the Detroit Diesel notification that 
was approved for certification on April 6, 1998 and referenced earlier 
in this document. A 1984 model year DDC 6V92TA MUI model engine (277 
HP) was rebuilt to the 1989 urban bus configuration as per the 
previously certified DDC kit and was retrofit with the specified 
components of the 0.1 g/bhp-hr kit prior to testing. In the rebuild 
process, all parts not included in the rebuild kit were inspected. 
Prior to testing the engine was tuned with the injector timing set at 
1.460 in. The throttle delay was set for optimum vehicle driveability. 
The data is summarized in Table A below.

[[Page 19153]]



                   Table A.--Exhaust Emissions Summary
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     g/bhp-hr
                                         -------------------------------
      Gaseous and particulate test           1989 HDDE      6V92TA MUI
                                             standards       with kit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HC......................................            1.3            0.1
CO......................................           15.5            0.4
NOX.....................................           10.7            9.8
PM......................................            0.60           0.091
BSFC1...................................  ..............           0.464
 
               Smoke Test                    Standards
 
ACCEL...................................          20%              3.3%
LUG.....................................          15%              2.5%
PEAK....................................          50%              4.2%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (BSFC) is measured in units of lb/
  bhp-hr.

    The data of Table A indicate that, when rebuilt with the kit, PM 
emissions of the test engine are less than 0.10 g/bhp-hr, and emissions 
of hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and smoke opacity are within 
applicable Federal standards. The Agency requests comments on whether 
the emissions test data presented by Turbodyne demonstrate that all 
engines for which certification is requested will meet applicable 
Federal standards with the candidate kit installed.
    Applicability of the candidate is restricted to 6V92TA, urban bus 
engine models made by Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC) from model years 
1979 to 1989 and equipped with mechanical unit injectors (MUI). The 
Agency requests comments on whether the emissions data presented 
demonstrate that all engines for which certification is intended will 
meet the 0.10 g/bhp-hr PM standard. The part numbers of the specified 
rebuild components are provided in the notification.
    Turbodyne's notification does not provide life cycle cost 
information for the candidate kit. Therefore, this kit will not be 
certified to comply with the life-cycle cost requirements of the 
program. The 0.10 g/bhp-hr PM level has already been triggered for all 
the engines covered by this notification. If certified as proposed in 
the notification, this equipment may be used by operators who are 
required to use equipment that meets the 0.10 g/bhp-hr PM level based 
on earlier trigger certification.
    The engine is to be rebuilt according to the engine manufacturer's 
standard written rebuild procedures and specifications except where 
amended by written instructions. The incremental maintenance cost and 
fuel economy impact are not provided in the notification and are not 
necessary for certification as the cost limitation is not being 
certified to by Turbodyne.
    The Turbodyne notification provides a product warranty that 
references the emissions performance and emissions defect warranties 
required in accordance with section 85.1409 of the program regulations.
    Even if ultimately certified by the Agency, the equipment described 
in Turbodyne's notification may require additional review by the 
California Air Resources Board (CARB) before use in California. The 
Agency recognizes that special situations may exist in California that 
are reflected in the unique emissions standards, engine calibrations, 
and fuel specifications of the State. While requirements of the Federal 
urban bus program apply to several metropolitan areas in California, 
the Agency understands the view of CARB that equipment certified under 
the urban bus program, to be used in California, must be provided with 
an executive order exempting it from the anti-tampering prohibitions of 
that State. Those interested in additional information should contact 
the Aftermarket Part Section of CARB, at (626) 575-6848.
    If the Agency certifies the candidate equipment, then urban bus 
operators who choose to comply with compliance Option 1 of this 
regulation will have the option to use this equipment or other 
equipment which has previously been certified to the 0.10 g/bhp-hr 
standard when applicable engines are rebuilt or replaced. If certified, 
then operators using Option 2 will use the 0.10 g/bhp-hr certification 
level in calculations for fleet level attained (FLA).
    The date of this document initiates a 45-day period during which 
the Agency will accept written comments relevant to whether the 
equipment described in the Turbodyne notification of intent to certify 
should be certified pursuant to the urban bus retrofit/rebuild 
regulations. Interested parties are encouraged to review this 
notification, and provide written comments during the 45-day review 
period. Separate comments should be provided in writing to each of the 
addresses listed under the Addresses section of this document.
    At a minimum, the Agency 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 section 85.1406, including 
whether the testing accurately substantiates the claimed emission 
reduction or emission levels; and, (2) the requirements of section 
85.1407 for a notification of intent to certify.
    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 equipment on applicable engines; and, (b) whether the 
equipment is compatible with affected vehicles.
    The Agency will review this notification of intent to certify, 
along with comments received from the 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.

    Dated: April 8, 1999.
Robert Perciasepe,
Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 99-9719 Filed 4-16-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P