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

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