Retrofit/Rebuild Requirements for 1993 and Earlier Model Year Urban Buses; Public Review of a Notification of Intent to Certify Equipment

[Notices]
[Page 4528-4531]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5682-4]

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: Johnson Matthey Incorporated (JMI) has submitted to the Agency
a notification of intent to certify

[[Page 4529]]

urban bus retrofit/rebuild equipment pursuant to 40 CFR Part 85,
Subpart O. The equipment, referred to by JMI as the Catalytic Reduction
Technology-Cam (CRT-C) kit, consists of proprietary cam shafts, a CEM
II^TM catalytic exhaust muffler, and instructions that the engine
must be rebuilt using specific engine rebuild parts and certain engine
settings. The candidate kit is applicable to all 6V92TA, 6V71T, and
6V71TA urban bus engine models made by Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC)
from model years 1979 to 1989 and equipped with mechanical unit
injectors (MUI).
JMI intends this equipment to be certified to the particulate
matter standard of 0.10 grams per brake-horsepower-hour (g/bhp-hr) for
less than the applicable life cycle cost limit. If the Agency certifies
that this (or other) equipment complies with the 0.10 g/bhp-hr standard
and is available for less than the applicable cost limit, then
operators with affected engines will be required to use equipment
certified to the 0.10 g/bhp-hr standard.
Pursuant to Sec. 85.1407(a)(7), today's Federal Register notice
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 XV-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 notice 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 March 17, 1997.

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 XV-A), Room M-1500, 401 M Street S.W., Washington, DC 20460.
2. William Rutledge, Engine Compliance Programs Group, Engine
Programs and Compliance Division (6403J), U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, 401 M Street S.W., Washington, DC 20460.
The JMI 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: William Rutledge, Engine Programs and
Compliance Division (6403J), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401
M St. SW, Washington, D.C. 20460. Telephone: (202) 233-9297.

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 (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 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.
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 December 9,
1996, Johnson Matthey (JMI) has applied for certification of equipment
under the Environmental Protection Agency's (the Agency) Urban Bus
Retrofit/Rebuild Program. The candidate kit is applicable to all
6V92TA, 6V71T, and 6V71TA urban bus engine models made by Detroit
Diesel Corporation (DDC) from model years 1979 to 1989 and equipped
with mechanical unit injectors (MUI). The equipment, referred to as the
Catalytic Reduction Technology--Cam (CRT-C) kit, consists of
proprietary cam shafts, a CEM II^TM catalytic exhaust muffler, and
installation instructions that require the engine to be rebuilt using
specified engine rebuild parts and certain engine settings. The CRT-C
kit would be available in three horsepower levels (253, 277, and 340)
for 6V92TA engines, and in one horsepower level (265) for 6V71 engines.
The CEM II^TM catalytic exhaust muffler of the CRT-C kit
contains a different formulation from the CEM^TM certified for the
urban bus program as described in the Federal Register on April 17,
1996 (61 FR 16773). Therefore, transit operators cannot use the
previously certified CEM^TM in place of the new CEM II^TM. The
CEM II^TM is the same size and shape as the CEM^TM, is a
direct, bolt-on replacement for the original equipment muffler, and is
designed to fit the specific bus/engine combination.
The CRT-C kit is to be used in conjunction with an engine rebuild
performed in accordance with standard DDC rebuild procedures using a
list of specified engine rebuild parts. The installation instructions
state that the list of parts for the rebuild (excluding the cams) can
be purchased from traditional DDC or equivalent parts sources. The
subject of equivalent parts

[[Page 4530]]

is discussed below. The notification states that the candidate
equipment achieves a particulate matter (PM) level of 0.10 g/bhp-hr,
and the life cycle cost is guaranteed by JMI to be less than $7,940 (in
1992 dollars) for all affected operators. The use of the equipment by
transit operators to meet program requirements is discussed below.
The kit instructions includes new settings for the fuel injector
height and fuel modulator, as appropriate to each engine model.
JMI presents exhaust emissions data from testing two Detroit Diesel
Corporation (DDC) engines in accordance with procedures set forth at 40
CFR Part 86, Subparts N and I. The notification indicates that the test
engines were selected as ``worst case'' based on Table 3 of 58 FR 21373
(April 23, 1993). A DDC engine model 6V92TA MUI was tested both in a
1984 model year configuration and retrofitted with the CRT-C kit, and a
DDC engine model 6V71TA MUI (originally 1983 model year) was only
tested retrofitted with the CRT-C kit. Table A below summarizes the
data.

Table A.--Exhaust Emissions Summary
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
g/bhp-hr
------------------------------------------------------
Gaseous and particulate test 1988 HDDE 1984 6V92TA 6V92TA MUI 6V71TA MUI
standards MUI baseline with CRT-C with CRT-C
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HC....................................................... 1.3 0.7 0.3 0.2
CO....................................................... 15.5 1.1 0.5 0.8
NO_X...................................................... 10.7 9.5 10.2 10.2
PM....................................................... 0.60 0.56 0.08 0.096
BSFC \1\................................................. 0.475 0.470 0.464
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Smoke test Standards
percent
(2) Percent opacity
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACCEL.................................................... 20 3.1 2.9 2.3
LUG...................................................... 15 2.0 2.0 1.3
PEAK..................................................... 50 4.8 3.6 2.9
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (BSFC) is measured in units of lb/bhp-hr.

The data of Table A indicate that for both test engines, when
rebuilt with the CRT-C kit, PM emissions 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 data also indicate
that the candidate kit increases NOx emissions roughly 7 percent above
the level of the baseline 1984 model year configuration. This level
(that is, with CRT-C installed) is less than the 1985-1989 federal
standard forNO_X(10.7 g/bhp-hr). The Agency requests comments on
whether the emissions test data presented by JMI demonstrate that all
engines for which certification is requested will meet applicable
federal standards with the candidate kit installed.
The Agency does not believe that the information provided supports
certification of engines beyond model year 1989, because the federal
new engine standard forNO_Xdropped in 1990 to 6.0 g/bhp-hr and in
1991 to 5.0 g/bhp-hr. (TheNO_Xlevel of either test engine, when
rebuilt with the candidate kit, is greater than 10 g/bhp-hr.)
Additionally, the Agency believes that there is no support for
certification of DDC's ``DDEC'' engines, because neither test engine is
equipped with electronically-controlled fuel injection. Therefore,
applicability of the candidate kit has been restricted to 6V92TA,
6V71T, and 6V71TA urban bus engine models made by Detroit Diesel
Corporation (DDC) from model years 1979 to 1989 and equipped with
mechanical unit injectors (MUI).
For the 6V92TA test engine, JMI also presents baseline test data
from a standard 1984 model year configuration. This data documents PM
emissions of 0.56 g/bhp-hr in the 1984 model year configuration. A list
of parts used in the engine rebuild is provided in the notification.
Other engines, for which the CRT-C kit is intended to apply, are
expected to meet the 0.10 g/bhp-hr PM standard because the kit
instructs the rebuilder to replace all emissions-related parts during
the rebuild with JMI-specified parts. The emission level of the
recipient engine, prior to installation of CEM-II catalyst, is expected
to be predictable because all emission-related parts are replaced using
specific rebuild components and settings specified with the kit. The
combination of the specified engine rebuild parts, proprietary
camshafts, new settings of the kit, and CEM-II, results in a PM level
less than 0.10 g/bhp-hr. The Agency requests comments on whether the
emissions data presented by JMI 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 JMI's notification. JMI indicates that replacing such emission-
related components is typically part of a standard rebuild. JMI also
states that other parts, equivalent to DDC parts, can be used for the
standard rebuild required with installation of the equipment. JMI
defines equivalent parts as parts which are substituted for original-
equipment (OE) parts and have been engineered to represent equal usage
with equivalent specifications, materials of construction, tolerances,
and warranty, et cetera, and must have gained acceptance in the market
place as equivalent replacements. The Agency asks for public comment
regarding how an operator, or the Agency, knows that an aftermarket
part is equivalent to an OE part, especially with respect to parameters
that affect emissions performance, and what assurance there is that
such parts would result in the same emissions performance. The use of
aftermarket parts might also impact life cycle costs, which is
discussed below.
JMI's notification provides life cycle cost information for the
candidate kit. JMI guarantees that it will offer the kit for less than
the life cycle ceiling of $7,490 (in 1992 dollars) as applicable, to
all affected operators. If certified as proposed in the notification
(and in the absence of other earlier certification that triggers the
0.10 g/bhp-hr), the candidate kit would trigger program requirements
for the 0.10 g/bhp-hr PM standard for applicable engines. Table B

[[Page 4531]]

below summarizes the life cycle costs for the CRT-C kit that are
incremental to the cost associated with a standard rebuild.

Table B.--CRT-C Kit Life Cycle Cost Summary
[1992 dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum CRT-C Equipment Cost............................... $6,550
Maximum Installation Cost (2 hours catalyst installation).. 70
Fuel Economy Impact........................................ 0
Maintenance Cost........................................... 0
Less Cost for Standard Camshafts........................... (785)
Maximum CRT-C Equipment Cost............................... 6,550
Maximum Life Cycle Cost (Sum of Above)..................... 5,835
------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Agency has determined that the value of the maximum CRT-C
equipment cost ($6,550) is approximately equivalent to $7,404 in
today's dollars. This is determined by multiplying the $6,550 from
Table B above by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (that
is, the CPI-U for all items) for November 1996, and then dividing by
the average CPI-U determined for 1992. According to the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics, the CPI-U before seasonal adjustment in November is
158.6 (on a reference base of 1982 to 1984 = 100), and the average CPI-
U for 1992 is 140.3. The value may change as the CPI-U changes.
JMI indicates that the engine is to be rebuilt according to the
engine manufacturer's standard written rebuild procedures and
specifications except where amended by JMI written instructions.
Therefore, JMI claims that the life cycle cost ($5,835) of the CRT-C
kit is incremental to the cost of a standard rebuild. Installation of
the CRT-C kit is essentially identical to a standard engine rebuild and
the installation of a muffler. The life cycle cost (in 1992 dollars) of
the JMI kit is stated to be $5,835, which includes the maximum purchase
cost for the kit of $6,550, and maximum installation cost of $70. The
incremental maintenance cost and fuel economy impact are stated to be
zero. The camshafts provided with the CRT-C kit offset the need and
cost for camshafts otherwise replaced during an engine rebuild ($785).
As noted above, the CRT-C kit would be sold as complimentary to a
standard engine rebuild. The balance of the specified parts for the
standard rebuild (excluding the cams) would be purchased by the
rebuilder from traditional DDC or equivalent parts sources. JMI
indicates that because the parts would typically be replaced anyway
during an engine rebuild, purchase of the specified parts on the list
would not represent an incremental life cycle cost. The list of the
specific emission-related parts are an essential part of the CRT-C kit
from an emissions standpoint, although the parts, per se, are not
provided with the kit. The Agency requests public comment concerning
whether the specified parts present incremental costs to a standard
rebuild. This point is important because the life cycle cost analysis
provided by JMI assumes that use of the listed part numbers will not
impact life cycle costs of the candidate equipment.
JMI states in its notification that there is no fuel economy
penalty associated with the candidate equipment. As shown in Table A
above, this is supported by the data from the baseline and retrofit
tests on the 6V92TA engine that indicate no fuel consumption impact of
the CRT-C kit. At this point, the Agency has not determined whether a
fuel consumption penalty exists, and requests comments concerning this
issue. The Agency will use information gathered through public comment
and from the certifier to resolve this issue.
The JMI 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 JMI'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 (818) 575-6848.
If the Agency certifies the candidate equipment and no other
certification triggers the 0.10 g/bhp-hr standard, then urban bus
operators who choose to comply with compliance Option 1 of this
regulation will be required to use equipment certified to the 0.10 g/
bhp-hr standard no later than six months after certification, when
applicable engines are rebuilt or replaced. If certified, then
operators using Option 2 will use the certification levels in
calculations for fleet level attained (FLA).
The date of this notice initiates a 45-day period during which the
Agency will accept written comments relevant to whether the equipment
described in the JMI 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 notice.
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 Sec. 85.1406, including whether
the testing accurately substantiates the claimed emission reduction or
emission levels; and, (2) the requirements of Sec. 85.1407 for a
notification of intent to certify, including whether the data provided
by JMI complies with the life cycle cost requirements.
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.

Mary D. Nichols,
Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.

[FR Doc. 97-2324 Filed 1-29-97; 8:45 am]
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