Search

Vehicle Test Procedure Adjustments for Tier 3 Certification Test Fuel.

Notice of proposed rulemaking - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to make adjustments to certain laboratory tailpipe emission testing procedures for automobiles, light trucks, and heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans as the result of a test fuel change that was finalized as a part of EPA's 2014 Tier 3 vehicle emissions rule. In that rule, EPA changed its laboratory test fuel to be more similar to typical gasoline currently in use. In the Tier 3 Final Rulemaking, EPA required vehicle manufacturers to perform greenhouse gas ( GHG ) and CAFE fuel economy testing on the new Tier 3 test fuel, beginning for model year 2020 and later vehicles. Changes to the fuel used for emissions testing can result in a change in emission results on the tests. When we adopted the Tier 3 test fuel, we indicated that we intended to undertake rulemaking to re-align test results from GHG and CAFE fuel economy testing on the new Tier 3 test fuel so they are consistent with test results from testing on the original Tier 2 test fuel, in order to avoid an effective change in the stringency of the GHG and CAFE standards. Specifically, EPA is now proposing adjustment factors to apply to both vehicle GHG and fuel economy test results for the GHG and CAFE programs and the Fuel Economy and Environment Label. In addition, we propose that the shift to required use of the new fuel for all vehicle testing be phased in through Model Year 2024, but required in Model Year 2025. Because the purpose of the rule is simply to realign testing results in response to the test fuel change, there would be no significant costs associated with the proposed action.

Fuels Regulatory Streamlining.

Proposed rule - This action proposes to update the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) existing gasoline, diesel, and other fuels programs to improve overall compliance assurance and maintain environmental performance, while reducing compliance costs for industry and EPA. EPA is proposing to streamline its existing fuel quality regulations by removing expired provisions, eliminating redundant compliance provisions (e.g., duplicative registration requirements that are required by every EPA fuels program), removing unnecessary and out-of-date requirements, and replacing them with a single set of provisions and definitions that will apply across all gasoline, diesel, and other fuels programs that EPA currently regulates. This action does not propose to change the stringency of the existing fuel quality standards.

Significant New Use Rules on Certain Chemical Substances.

Proposed rule - EPA is proposing significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for chemical substances which are the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs) . This action would require persons to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing manufacture (defined by statute to include import) or processing of any of these chemical substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this proposed rule. This action would further require that persons not commence manufacture or processing for the significant new use until they have submitted a Significant New Use Notice, and EPA has conducted a review of the notice, made an appropriate determination on the notice under TSCA, and has taken any risk management actions as are required as a result of that determination.

Pipeline Safety: Gas Pipeline Regulatory Reform.

Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure for Room Air Conditioners.

Notice of proposed rulemaking - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to amend the test procedure for room air conditioners ("room ACs") to address updates to the industry standards that are incorporated by reference, provide for the testing of variable-speed room ACs to better reflect their relative efficiency gains at lower outdoor temperatures as compared to single-speed room ACs, and to provide specifications and minor corrections that would improve repeatability, reproducibility, and overall readability of the test procedure. Because there are no testing modifications proposed for single-speed room ACs, DOE expects that the proposed changes will not affect the measured energy use for these models. For variable-speed room ACs, the proposed changes will improve the representativeness of the measured energy use of these models. As part of this proposal, DOE is announcing a public meeting to collect comments and data on its proposal.

Protection of Stratospheric Ozone : Listing of Substitutes Under the Significant New Alternatives Policy Program.

Notice of proposed rulemaking - Pursuant to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Significant New Alternatives Policy program, this action proposes to list certain substances in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector and the foam blowing sector. For the retail food refrigeration-- medium-temperature stand-alone units (new) end-use, EPA is proposing to list substitutes as acceptable subject to narrowed use limits. For the residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pumps (new) end-use, EPA is proposing to list substitutes as acceptable subject to use conditions. For the foam blowing sector, extruded polystyrene: Boardstock and billet end-use, EPA is proposing to list substitutes as acceptable. This action also proposes to remove an acceptable subject to use conditions listing for the fire suppression sector because EPA more recently listed the substitute as acceptable with no use restrictions.

VOC Emissions from Oil and Natural Gas Source Control.

Proposed rule - The purpose of this proposed rulemaking is to implement control measures to reduce VOC emissions from existing oil and natural gas sources in this Commonwealth. There are five source categories that will be affected by this proposal: storage vessels; natural gas-driven pneumatic controllers; natural gas-driven diaphragm pumps; reciprocating and centrifugal compressors; and fugitive emissions components.

Proposed Procedures for the Exemption of Add-on and Modified Part(s) for On-Road Vehicles/Engines.

Proposed Rule - Amends rules to incorporate by reference various federal regulations and test methods. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has adopted regulations applicable to aftermarket parts in the Code of Federal Regulations, title 40, part 85. Federally, an aftermarket emission control device is covered under U.S. EPA's 1974 "Interim Tampering Enforcement Policy." However, these regulations establish only a voluntary self-certification program. In contrast, the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) aftermarket parts procedures require aftermarket part manufacturers to receive and obtain an exemption before they can offer parts for sale in California.

Heavy Duty Omnibus Low NOx Regulation.

Proposed rule - Amends and adopts sections to implement lower NOx requirements for heavy duty trucks.