Standards for Emissions From Natural Gas-Fueled, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas-Fueled Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Engines, and Certification Procedures for Aftermarket Conversions; Final Rule ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Résumé

Today's rule provides emission standards and test procedures for the certification of new natural gas-fueled, and liquefied petroleum gas-fueled light-duty vehicles, light-duty trucks, heavy-duty engines and vehicles, and motorcycles. The regulations are effective with the 1997 model year, although optional certification prior to the 1997 model year will be available. Today's rule also provides fuel economy test procedures and calculation equations for natural gas- fueled light-duty vehicles and trucks, effective upon publication, to allow these vehicles to be included in a manufacturer's corporate average fuel economy (CAFE). Finally, today's rule provides procedures for the certification of aftermarket conversion equipment to allow a vehicle or engine to operate completely or in part on a fuel other than the fuel for which it was originally designed and manufactured. This action is being taken in order to remove the possibility that the absence of such standards could hinder the development of natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas as transportation fuels. These standards are intended to provide a comparable degree of environmental protection to that afforded by the standards ap