Current through October 31, 2024
Section 51.120 - Requirements for State Implementation Plan revisions relating to new motor vehicles(a) The EPA Administrator finds that the State Implementation Plans (SIPs) for the States of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, the portion of Virginia included (as of November 15, 1990) within the Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area that includes the District of Columbia, are substantially inadequate to comply with the requirements of section 110(a)(2)(D) of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7410(a)(2)(D) , and to mitigate adequately the interstate pollutant transport described in section 184 of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7511C , to the extent that they do not provide for emission reductions from new motor vehicles in the amount that would be achieved by the Ozone Transport Commission low emission vehicle (OTC LEV) program described in paragraph (c) of this section. This inadequacy will be deemed cured for each of the aforementioned States (including the District of Columbia) in the event that EPA determines through rulemaking that a national LEV-equivalent new motor vehicle emission control program is an acceptable alternative for OTC LEV and finds that such program is in effect. In the event no such finding is made, each of those States must adopt and submit to EPA by February 15, 1996 a SIP revision meeting the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section in order to cure the SIP inadequacy.(b) If a SIP revision is required under paragraph (a) of this section, it must contain the OTC LEV program described in paragraph (c) of this section unless the State adopts and submits to EPA, as a SIP revision, other emission-reduction measures sufficient to meet the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section. If a State adopts and submits to EPA, as a SIP revision, other emission-reduction measures pursuant to paragraph (d) of this section, then for purposes of determining whether such a SIP revision is complete within the meaning of section 110(k)(1) (and hence is eligible at least for consideration to be approved as satisfying paragraph (d) of this section), such a SIP revision must contain other adopted emission-reduction measures that, together with the identified potentially broadly practicable measures, achieve at least the minimum level of emission reductions that could potentially satisfy the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section. All such measures must be fully adopted and enforceable.(c) The OTC LEV program is a program adopted pursuant to section 177 of the Clean Air Act. (1) The OTC LEV program shall contain the following elements:(i) It shall apply to all new 1999 and later model year passenger cars and light-duty trucks (0-5750 pounds loaded vehicle weight), as defined in Title 13, California Code of Regulations, section 1900(b)(11) and (b)(8), respectively, that are sold, imported, delivered, purchased, leased, rented, acquired, received, or registered in any area of the State that is in the Northeast Ozone Transport Region as of December 19, 1994.(ii) All vehicles to which the OTC LEV program is applicable shall be required to have a certificate from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) affirming compliance with California standards.(iii) All vehicles to which this LEV program is applicable shall be required to meet the mass emission standards for Non-Methane Organic Gases (NMOG), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX), Formaldehyde (HCHO), and particulate matter (PM) as specified in Title 13, California Code of Regulations, section 1960.1(f)(2) (and formaldehyde standards under section 1960.1(e)(2) , as applicable) or as specified by California for certification as a TLEV (Transitional Low-Emission Vehicle), LEV (Low-Emission Vehicle), ULEV (Ultra-Low-Emission Vehicle), or ZEV (Zero-Emission Vehicle) under section 1960.1(g)(1) (and section 1960.1(e)(3) , for formaldehyde standards, as applicable).(iv) All manufacturers of vehicles subject to the OTC LEV program shall be required to meet the fleet average NMOG exhaust emission values for production and delivery for sale of their passenger cars, light-duty trucks 0-3750 pounds loaded vehicle weight, and light-duty trucks 3751-5750 pounds loaded vehicle weight specified in Title 13, California Code of Regulations, section 1960.1(g)(2) for each model year beginning in 1999. A State may determine not to implement the NMOG fleet average in the first model year of the program if the State begins implementation of the program late in a calendar year. However, all States must implement the NMOG fleet average in any full model years of the LEV program.(v) All manufacturers shall be allowed to average, bank and trade credits in the same manner as allowed under the program specified in Title 13, California Code of Regulations, section 1960.1(g)(2) footnote 7 for each model year beginning in 1999. States may account for credits banked by manufacturers in California or New York in years immediately preceding model year 1999, in a manner consistent with California banking and discounting procedures.(vi) The provisions for small volume manufacturers and intermediate volume manufacturers, as applied by Title 13, California Code of Regulations to California's LEV program, shall apply. Those manufacturers defined as small volume manufacturers and intermediate volume manufacturers in California under California's regulations shall be considered small volume manufacturers and intermediate volume manufacturers under this program.(vii) The provisions for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), as defined in Title 13 California Code of Regulations, section 1960.1 , shall apply for purposes of calculating fleet average NMOG values.(viii) The provisions for fuel-flexible vehicles and dual-fuel vehicles specified in Title 13, California Code of Regulations, section 1960.1(g)(1) footnote 4 shall apply.(ix) The provisions for reactivity adjustment factors, as defined by Title 13, California Code of Regulations, shall apply.(x) The aforementioned State OTC LEV standards shall be identical to the aforementioned California standards as such standards exist on December 19, 1994.(xi) All States' OTC LEV programs must contain any other provisions of California's LEV program specified in Title 13, California Code of Regulations necessary to comply with section 177 of the Clean Air Act.(2) States are not required to include the mandate for production of ZEVs specified in Title 13, California Code of Regulations, section 1960.1(g)(2) footnote 9.(3) Except as specified elsewhere in this section, States may implement the OTC LEV program in any manner consistent with the Act that does not decrease the emissions reductions or jeopardize the effectiveness of the program.(d) The SIP revision that paragraph (b) of this section describes as an alternative to the OTC LEV program described in paragraph (c) of this section must contain a set of State-adopted measures that provides at least the following amount of emission reductions in time to bring serious ozone nonattainment areas into attainment by their 1999 attainment date:(1) Reductions at least equal to the difference between:(i) The nitrogen oxides (NOX) emission reductions from the 1990 statewide emissions inventory achievable through implementation of all of the Clean Air Act-mandated and potentially broadly practicable control measures throughout all portions of the State that are within the Northeast Ozone Transport Region created under section 184(a) of the Clean Air Act as of December 19, 1994; and(ii) A reduction in NOX emissions from the 1990 statewide inventory in such portions of the State of 50% or whatever greater reduction is necessary to prevent significant contribution to nonattainment in, or interference with maintenance by, any downwind State.(2) Reductions at least equal to the difference between:(i) The VOC emission reductions from the 1990 statewide emissions inventory achievable through implementation of all of the Clean Air Act-mandated and potentially broadly practicable control measures in all portions of the State in, or near and upwind of, any of the serious or severe ozone nonattainment areas lying in the series of such areas running northeast from the Washington, DC, ozone nonattainment area to and including the Portsmouth, New Hampshire ozone nonattainment area; and(ii) A reduction in VOC emissions from the 1990 emissions inventory in all such areas of 50% or whatever greater reduction is necessary to prevent significant contribution to nonattainment in, or interference with maintenance by, any downwind State.60 FR 4736, Jan. 24, 1995