Retrofit/Rebuild Requirements for 1993 and Earlier Model Year Urban Buses; Public Review of an Application for Certification of Equipment

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 85

[FRL-5073-1]

Retrofit/Rebuild Requirements for 1993 and Earlier Model Year

Urban Buses; Public Review of an Application for Certification of

Equipment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of agency receipt of an application for equipment

certification, and initiation of the 45 day review and comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Agency has received an application for certification of

urban bus retrofit/rebuild equipment, and it is available for public

review and comment. Engelhard Corporation has applied for certification

of equipment applicable to both 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines used in

urban buses for all model years up to and including 1993. The

application states that the candidate equipment provides a 25 percent

or greater reduction in emissions of particulate matter (PM) for

petroleum fueled diesel engines relative to an original engine

configuration with no after treatment devices installed. A 25 percent

reduction is also claimed for engines that have been retrofit/rebuilt

with certified new rebuild kits that do not include after treatment

devices. The application states that this equipment will be offered to

all parties for $2,000 or less (in 1992 dollars). The application would

apply to all urban bus operators nationwide that are subject to the

urban bus rebuild/retrofit program.

The date of this notice initiates a 45 day period during which EPA

will accept written comments relevant to the potential certification of

the equipment included in this application. Comments should be provided

in writing to the address listed under ADDRESSES.

The Engelhard application, as well as other materials specifically

relevant to it, are contained in Public Docket A-93-42, entitled

``Certification of Urban Bus Retrofit/Rebuild Equipment''. This docket

is located in room M-1500, Waterside Mall (Ground Floor), U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460.

Docket items may be inspected from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 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.

DATES: Comments must be received by October 31, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Anthony Erb, Technical Support

Branch, Manufacturers Operations Division (6405J), U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, 401 M St. SW, Washington, D.C. 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anthony Erb, Telephone: (202) 233-

9259.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

On April 21, 1993, EPA 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 options: Option 1 sets

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 sets out a specific annual target level for

average PM emissions from urban buses in an operator's fleet.

A key aspect of the program is the certification of retrofit/

rebuild equipment. To meet either of the two compliance options,

operators of the affected buses must use equipment which 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 application for certification, 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.

II. Application for Certification

Engelhard Corporation has applied for certification of equipment

applicable to petroleum fueled diesel engines used in urban buses for

the 1993 and earlier model years. The application states that the

candidate equipment provides a 25% or greater reduction in emissions of

particulate matter (PM). Life cycle costs for operators are stated to

be less than $2000 (in 1992 dollars) for all affected operators. The

use of the equipment by transit operators to meet program requirements

is discussed further below.

The equipment being certified is a catalytic converter that also

functions as the muffler and takes the place of the original muffler

installed in the engine exhaust system.

The application indicates that the equipment is applicable to all

1993 and earlier model year 2-stroke and 4-stroke petroleum fueled

diesel engines that are used in urban buses and are not equipped with

after treatment devices.

Engelhard Corporation presents data from testing the equipment on a

2-stroke 1985 model year Detroit Diesel 6V92TA engine documenting PM

emissions reduction under two different scenarios. In the first case,

the baseline test was performed on the engine prior to rebuild. Then

the catalytic converter was added to the exhaust system and another

test was performed. When the results of the two tests were evaluated,

the test on the engine which was equipped with the catalytic converter

indicated a 41% decrease in PM emissions compared to the baseline test.

This test also showed that hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and

oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions were within the applicable emission

standards.

In the second test sequence, the baseline test was performed on the

engine after rebuild. Then, as in the first test sequence, the

catalytic converter was added and a comparison test was performed. When

the results of these tests were evaluated, the test on the engine with

the catalytic converter installed indicated a 29% reduction in PM

emissions when compared with the test results for the baseline engine.

The HC, CO, and NOx emissions for this test were also within the

applicable emission standards.

Engelhard would like to certify this equipment for use on all 2-

stroke and 4-stroke heavy duty urban bus engines. The test data

presented in the certification application are from tests on the DDC

model 6V92TA heavy duty engine only. Additionally, some data from tests

run on a 4-stroke medium duty engine are also included. If the

application is approved as written it would apply to all 2-stroke and

4-stroke urban bus engines manufactured by all manufacturers during the

affected model years.

Engelhard Corporation provided smoke emission measurements for this

engine in the rebuilt condition with the catalytic converter installed.

These measurements indicated that the engine complied with the

applicable smoke standards when rebuilt with the Engelhard catalytic

converter installed.

The information submitted by Engelhard Corporation shows that this

equipment achieves a 25% or greater reduction in PM emissions within

the $2,000 life cycle cost ceiling. If EPA approves the request for

certification of this equipment, urban bus operators will be required

to use this equipment or other equipment certified to provide 25% or

greater equivalent reductions to comply with Option 1 of this

regulation beginning six months after certification approval. This

requirement will continue unless other equipment which reduces PM

emissions to 0.10 g/bhp-hr is certified at or below the $7,940 life

cycle cost ceiling.

Engelhard's application does not indicate that urban bus operators

in any part of the country would be unable to retrofit their urban

buses for less than the cost ceiling. Therefore, this application would

apply to all urban bus operators nationwide that are subject to the

urban bus rebuild/retrofit program.

If EPA approves Engelhard's certification request, urban bus

operators who choose to comply under Option 2 of this regulation may

also use the Engelhard equipment. If certification is approved by EPA,

the emission levels of the Engelhard rebuild kit will be used to modify

the Option 2 post rebuild levels in July 1996 for engine rebuilds

scheduled for 1997 and thereafter, unless other rebuild kits with life

cycle costs below the life cycle cost ceiling and lower PM emission

levels are certified before July 1996.

The date of this notice initiates a 45 day period during which EPA

will accept written comments relevant to whether or not the equipment

described in this application should be certified. Interested parties

are encouraged to review this application, and provide comments related

to whether or not the equipment described in it should be certified

pursuant to the urban bus retrofit/rebuild program. Comments should be

provided in writing to the address listed under ADDRESSES.

The Agency will review this application, along with comments

received from the interested parties, and attempt to resolve or clarify

issues as necessary. During the review process, EPA 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: September 8, 1994.

Mary Nichols,

Assistant Administrator for Office of Air and Radiation.

[FR Doc. 94-22976 Filed 9-15-94; 8:45 am]

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