Background
See Clean Air Act — General and Clean Air Act — Criteria Pollutants.
Mobile air pollution sources, such as cars, trucks, buses, aircraft, etc., release more than 90% of the carbon monoxide found in urban areas. Mobile source emissions are also responsible for half of all hazardous air pollutants and half of the smog-forming volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides. The Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments of 1990 took a comprehensive approach to reducing emissions from mobile sources. Those requirements include
- complete elimination of lead from gasoline (completed on January 1, 1996);
- reductions in toxic volatile organic compounds, such as benzene, in gasoline;
- reductions in sulfur content of diesel fuel;
- a requirement that all gasoline contain detergents to maintain engine efficiencies;
- incentives for development and production of alternatively powered vehicles (clean cars);
- vapor recovery nozzles on gasoline pumping stations;
- vehicle inspection and maintenance programs, including emissions testing;
- requirements for reducing particulate emissions from diesel engines;
- incentives for car pooling and mass transit;
- reductions in evaporative losses from engines; and
- reductions in emissions from lawn mowers and other small nonroad engines.
Not all of these requirements apply in every region. More polluted regions, those with the highest levels of nonattainment, must implement the highest number of these requirements.
40 CFR Parts 85 and 86 (for vehicles) and 40 CFR Parts 79 and 80 (fuel requirements) describe the regulations detailing procedures for implementing these requirements.
Key Concepts
See Clean Air Act — General.
Clean Fleet Vehicles (Clean Cars)
These are cars that use alternative, cleaner fuels such as alcohol, natural gas, or electricity. Certain petroleum engines that produce negligible tailpipe emissions are also low-emission vehicles (LEVs). Other clean cars include inherently low-emission vehicles (ILEVs), ultra–low-emission vehicles (ULEVs), and zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). EPA maintains a website listing vehicles that meet this definition and the fuels they use.
Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Programs
These programs measure vehicle tailpipe emissions. They already exist in certain nonattainment areas. Measured emissions in excess of those allowable in a region may necessitate immediate repairs. Tailpipe emissions testing may be part of vehicle licensing.
Fleet Vehicles
Fleets of more than ten vehicles operated by companies or government agencies may meet the CAA definition of fleet vehicles. One of the criteria is central fueling or the opportunity for central fueling; another is the size of the local population.
Small-Engine Emission Standards
Spark ignition engines of 25 horsepower or less and manufactured after 1997 must bear labels that indicate compliance with EPA emission standards. Lawn care equipment frequently uses this class of engine.
Does this apply to my campus?
Yes. Later model vehicles and equipment with small engines must meet certain emission standards.
If your campus owns or operates a centrally fueled fleet of ten or more cars, trucks, buses, or other vehicles and is located in a region with a 1980 census population of greater than 250,000, your campus may have to purchase clean cars for its fleet. Also, certain requirements for vapor recovery from gasoline-dispensing stations may apply if your campus has gasoline pumps. Your campus fleet may have to certify that it operates in compliance with local air emissions standards.
What do I have to do?
Do not tamper with or remove the emission control devices on campus vehicles and/or small equipment engines.
Also, determine the attainment status of the air quality region in which your campus exists. Some fleet purchases after 1999 may have to be clean vehicles if your campus is covered by the fleet vehicle requirements above.
Depending on your regional attainment status, you may have to install vapor-recovery equipment at the pumps. See Clean Air Act — Criteria Pollutants.
If there is an emissions testing program for your area, ensure that all vehicles subject to that testing receive it.