[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 93 (Friday, May 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26410-26412]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12246]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6342-1]
RIN 2060-AH52


Public Meetings To Discuss Air Quality Modeling and 
Infrastructure Issues Associated With Alternative-Fueled Vehicles

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency intends to hold two public 
workshops to discuss issues associated with alternative fuel vehicles 
(AFVs) (i.e., vehicles powered by fuels other than gasoline). The first 
workshop (which EPA will hold May 26, 1999, in Louisville, Kentucky), 
will focus on issues associated with air quality modeling of AFVs. The 
purpose of this workshop is to facilitate an exchange of information 
that will help EPA determine which areas of its modeling, if any, 
should be enhanced to better estimate the air quality impacts of 
alternative-fueled vehicles. The second workshop will focus on issues 
related to infrastructure development and creating a sustainable market 
for AFVs.

DATES: The first workshop (on modeling and AFVs) will be held on May 
26, 1999, in Louisville, Kentucky, following the Department of Energy's 
National Clean Cities Conference. The date for the second workshop (on 
infrastructure development and creating a sustainable market for AFVs) 
will be announced later. Members of the public are invited to attend as 
observers.

ADDRESSES: Questions about the workshop should be addressed to: Barry 
Garelick (202-564-9028; [email protected]) or Christine Hawk (202-
564-9672; [email protected]), 401 M Street, S.W. (6406J), 
Washington, D.C. (20460). The workshop will be held at the Sellbach 
Hilton Hotel, 500 4th St, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 800 333-3399 or 
502-585-3200.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barry Garelick (202) 564-9028.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As this Administration has long recognized, 
one of the keys to moving forward environmentally is moving forward 
technologically. Progress towards sustainable reductions in emissions 
from the mobile source sector is inextricably linked to technological 
advancement. Motor vehicles are significant contributors to ground-
level ozone, the principal harmful ingredient in smog. They also emit 
other pollutants, including particulate matter and air toxics. Motor 
vehicle emissions contribute to public health problems such as asthma 
and other respiratory problems, especially in children.
    History has shown that the rise in vehicle sales and vehicle miles 
traveled every year has consistently led to increases in the aggregate 
emissions from the mobile source sector, despite progress in reducing 
emissions from gasoline-powered, conventional motor vehicles. This 
places increasing importance on technological developments, including 
vehicles powered by fuels other than gasoline. There is particular 
interest in the creation of vehicles whose emissions do not increase as 
the vehicle ages. There are a number of types of alternative fuel 
vehicles (AFVs) in production and under development. In the United 
States, manufacturers are already selling various types of AFVs, 
including vehicles powered by electricity, compressed natural gas, 
methanol, and ethanol. The last year has also seen dramatic 
developments in hybrid-electric vehicle and fuel cell technology.
    Congress and the Administration have already recognized that they 
have an important role to play regarding AFVs. As part of the 1990 
Amendments to the Clean Air Act, Congress included sections promoting 
increased numbers of clean fuel fleet vehicles. The Clean Fuel Fleet 
program, which began on September 1, 1998, requires certain 
nonattainment areas to adopt and implement a program requiring certain 
centrally-fueled fleets to include a specified percentage of clean-fuel 
vehicles in their new fleet vehicle purchases. Additionally, Congress 
passed the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct), which includes numerous 
provisions designed to increase the

[[Page 26411]]

number of alternative fueled vehicles in vehicle fleets. These 
provisions include minimum Federal fleet requirements, public 
information programs, and guidelines for state and local incentive 
programs. The Administration is working on implementing the 
requirements of EPAct. In 1996, President Clinton signed Executive 
Order 13031, ``Federal Alternative Fueled Vehicle Leadership.'' This 
Executive Order sets forth reporting requirements to ensure that 
federal agencies comply with the AFV acquisition requirements of EPAct. 
By FY1999, 75 percent of certain federal vehicle purchases must be 
AFVs. The Order also includes a credit system that allows agencies to 
gain extra credits towards meeting their light-duty vehicle procurement 
goals by acquiring medium-duty and heavy-duty AFVs and zero emission 
vehicles.
    States also are playing a role in supporting AFVs. California 
created Low and Zero Emission Vehicle programs that New York, Vermont, 
Maine, and Massachusetts have adopted.
    It is important for the Agency to keep pace with and encourage the 
development of alternative fuel technologies. To continue progress in 
meeting this objective with respect to AFVs, the Agency is announcing a 
number of steps today. EPA intends to hold two workshops on issues 
related to AFVs. One workshop, to be held on May 26, 1999, will address 
issues related to modeling and AFVs, while a second workshop to be held 
in the next year will address infrastructure issues related to creating 
a sustainable market for AFVs.

Alternative Fuel Team

    EPA's Office of Mobile Sources has established an Alternative Fuel 
Team (AF Team), which has members from various OMS divisions. The goal 
of the AF Team is to promote the use of alternative fuels to help meet 
air quality goals. The team will help coordinate the Agency's existing 
efforts related to AFVs, and develop and conduct new efforts. The 
primary contact for outside parties interested in EPA's AFV efforts 
will be Deborah Adler (734-214-4223) or Christine Hawk (202-564-9672) 
(although others within the Agency may be the principal contact for 
specific issues).
    The AF Team is in the process of developing an action plan for the 
next year. This plan will cover a range of activities, such as: 
enhancing and/or developing modeling that accurately characterizes 
emissions of AFVs as compared to gasoline vehicles; tracking and, where 
appropriate, participating in various Administration efforts related to 
AFVs, including the Clean Cities program and federal purchases of AFVs; 
working with states on Clean Fuel Fleet programs; and facilitating 
discussions on infrastructure development to create a sustainable 
market for AFVs. In addition, within the next six months, the AF Team 
will also begin to plan and execute an ongoing public education 
campaign for which they will develop outreach and public education 
materials on AFVs and the role they can play in cleaning up the 
nation's air. The Team's efforts in this area will be comparable to the 
public education efforts the Office of Mobile Sources has made on other 
mobile source/clean air issues. Anyone who wishes to provide input on 
appropriate activities for the Team should contact Deborah Adler or 
Christine Hawk.

Workshop on AFVs and Modeling

    It is important for state and federal policy makers to have 
accurate information on the full environmental consequences of 
different types of technology so that they can make informed regulatory 
and purchasing decisions. On May 26, 1999, EPA plans to conduct a 
public workshop in Louisville, Kentucky, to address various issues 
related to modeling the environmental effects of AFVs as compared to 
gasoline vehicles. (The date and location of the workshop were selected 
to coordinate with the Department of Energy's National Clean Cities 
conference, which begins May 24 in Louisville.) The goal of the 
workshop will be to look at how at least two models for motor vehicle 
emissions evaluate AFV emissions, to identify how these models might be 
improved to be more accurate, and to identify whether there are data 
gaps that limit a model's ability to compare gasoline vehicle and AFV 
emissions accurately. The Agency will use this workshop to help the AFV 
Team and others in the Agency focus future modeling and data collection 
efforts.
    At least two models will be discussed at the workshop. First, EPA 
has developed, and is currently updating, its comprehensive mobile 
source emissions model (the MOBILE model). This model provides average 
in-use fleet emission factors for pollutants for different vehicle 
categories operated under various conditions as specified by the model 
user. Features incorporated in the MOBILE model allow the user to 
simulate some characteristics of AFVs on the mobile source fleet, and 
EPA is in the process of improving this capability. Second, EPA is 
working with the Department of Energy on another model which calculates 
the life cycle emissions of various fuels. In the workshop, EPA would 
be interested in exploring ideas participants might have to enhance its 
short-term modeling capabilities as well as suggestions for other, 
longer-term projects.
    Most of the data developed in support of the MOBILE model is based 
on the emissions performance of gasoline-powered vehicles. EPA has 
developed some limited data on the emissions performance of natural gas 
vehicles, especially in the area of vehicle deterioration, and is 
currently working with some interested parties to incorporate some of 
this data into features in the next MOBILE model. One particular 
feature would allow the model user to estimate the emissions difference 
between a fleet of various numbers of natural gas and gasoline-powered 
vehicles. However, one of the significant issues hampering AFV 
modifications to the MOBILE model is the availability of emissions data 
and performance characteristics of these vehicles. The modeling code is 
based on the analysis of emissions data and the lack of emissions data 
regarding AFVs hampers EPA's ability to model their performance 
accurately. Some of the areas EPA has already identified where more 
data would be useful are emissions factors for heavy-duty natural gas 
vehicles, off-cycle emissions performance of vehicles, and the level of 
toxic compounds in emissions from current and advanced technology 
vehicles. In this workshop, EPA is interested in discussing ways to 
generate emissions data in these areas as well as other areas 
identified as significant areas for further study and how this data 
could be incorporated into the MOBILE model.
    The other modeling-related topic for discussion at this workshop 
will be the possible creation of other modeling tools that could help 
quantify the various emissions differences between vehicles operated on 
different fuels. The Department of Energy has developed a methodology 
for doing such an analysis. An air quality model that quantified the 
full life-cycle emissions from various fuels could be useful for states 
making regulatory decisions or determining which type of AFVs to 
purchase to obtain the greatest air quality benefit possible. EPA 
recognizes that a modeling tool of this type would require more than 
just actual emissions data for it to be useful. It would also require 
information such as the actual emissions inputs for a life-cycle 
analysis for an electric vehicle and whether an AFV is used in the same 
manner as a

[[Page 26412]]

conventional vehicle. However, the Agency is interested in discussing 
this issue to see if such analysis would be worthwhile and beneficial 
and if the developmental work done to date could be useful for states 
making in future modeling analysis.
    Anyone with suggestions for this workshop should contact Barry 
Garelick at the address listed above.

Workshop on AFV Market and Infrastructure Development

    Within the next year, the Agency intends to conduct a public 
workshop on infrastructure issues related to creating a sustainable 
market for AFVs. In previous discussions on AFVs, EPA has noted that 
the development of a sustainable market for AFVs, which includes 
necessary infrastructure development, is a key component of any plan to 
achieve the air quality gains that are possible from the use of AFVs. 
Developing the infrastructure necessary for AFVs is an important part 
in developing a sustainable market. For example, drivers may be 
reluctant to purchase electric vehicles if they have concerns about the 
availability of recharging stations. EPA believes that solutions to 
infrastructure development needs can be found by a variety of 
stakeholders working together. For example, electric utilities that 
support electric vehicles might provide special assistance for the 
installation of residential or commercial charging stations; states 
that wish to encourage the purchase of AFVs might provide tax 
incentives; fleet operators in any given area, including states and the 
federal government, could agree to focus AFV purchases on a particular 
type of AFV. From past discussions with a variety of stakeholders, it 
appeared that discussions on infrastructure development and creation of 
a sustainable market for AFVs could identify useful steps for various 
stakeholders to take and that some steps might best be taken by several 
stakeholders working in partnership with each other.
    At this workshop, the Agency's intent is to gather other 
Administration officials, State officials (both environmental and 
purchasing agent), auto and utility industry representatives, 
environmentalists, and other interested parties. The workshop will 
provide an opportunity for oral and written presentations on what AFVs 
are available and how many are being purchased by whom (including 
federal and state fleet purchases). It will provide a forum for looking 
at what barriers exist that limit the sales of AFVs and how those 
barriers can be reduced or eliminated. It will also provide a forum for 
identifying key opportunities to create a sustainable market for AFVs. 
The workshop will focus on the Ozone Transport Region (northern 
Virginia through Maine) because of the interest the OTR States have 
shown in AFVs over the past few years. The Agency intends that the 
workshop will draw on the experience of other areas (such as 
California). EPA also welcomes participation by states outside the OTR.
    This workshop is intended to be the type of workshop that the 
northeastern states and the auto industry had tentatively agreed to in 
the ATV Agreement in the National LEV MOU that was never 
finalized.1 As EPA indicated in several Federal Register 
notices, EPA believed that the ATV Agreement would have been a 
productive way of creating a sustainable market for ATVs through 
cooperative working relationships.
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    \1\ In the negotiations between the northeastern states and the 
auto industry on EPA's National Low Emission Vehicle (NLEV) program, 
the states and the auto industry had tentatively agreed to a process 
to facilitate discussion on the creation of a sustainable market for 
advanced technology vehicles (ATV Agreement). (This tentative ATV 
Agreement was to be included in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 
that was to form the basis for the NLEV program, but the ATV 
Agreement was not intended to be included in the NLEV regulations. 
However, the parties have ended discussions and decided not to 
finalize the MOU, which would have contained the ATV Agreement).
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    The date and location of the workshop and a more detailed agenda 
will be published in the Federal Register at a later date. Anyone with 
suggestions for this workshop should contact Barry Garelick.

    Dated: May 5, 1999.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-12246 Filed 5-13-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P