SAFE Vehicles Rule | YPGG

WASHINGTON - Over the course of one week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed three separate rules — the Refrigerant Management Rule Amendments, Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Program Technical Amendments, and Oil & Gas Targeted Improvements — totaling more than $115 million in regulatory cost savings. In addition, EPA has officially converted four regional haze Federal Implementation Plans (FIP) into State Implementation Plans (SIPs).

“These rules would provide greater certainty to the regulated community in areas where previous EPA actions exceeded its legal authority or caused confusion and undue burdens,” said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “A lack of certainty from EPA hinders environmental protections and causes paralysis in the marketplace, and we are committed to fixing that.

Refrigerant Management Rule Amendments

Today, EPA proposed the Refrigerant Management proposed rule, which would generate approximately $40 million in regulatory savings annually. The proposed rule amendments revisit the Agency’s approach to regulating appliances containing substitute refrigerants, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), based on PEA's proposed interpretation that the Agency exceeded its statutory authority in extending refrigerant management requirements to appliances containing non-ozone depleting substitutes. This proposed rulemaking in no way affects the current requirements for ozone-depleting refrigerants.

EPA will take comment on the proposed rule for 45 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register and will hold a public hearing in Washington, D.C. Details on the public hearing will be available shortly.

For more information, visit www.epa.gov/section608/revised-section-608-refrigerant-management-regulations

Light-Duty Vehicle GHG Program

The Light-Duty Vehicle GHG Program rule proposed today would correct minor technical errors in the GHG emissions regulations finalized in the 2012 rulemaking establishing standards for model years 2017-2025 light-duty vehicles. These amendments would clarify the calculation methodology in the regulations and allow the program to be implemented as originally intended. This proposal is separate from the recently announced joint EPA—National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposed SAFE Vehicles Rule to address some of these underlying standards. Once this action is published in the Federal Register, there will be a 30-day comment period.

For more information, visit https://www.epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/proposed-rule-technical-amendments-light-duty-vehicle

State Implementation Plans

EPA has converted regional haze FIPs in Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia into SIPs. In 2012, EPA issued a FIP covering many states, including these. This well-coordinated, cooperative approach, allows Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia to meet federal requirements while ensuring the protection of human health and the environment.

“I am pleased that the EPA is approving West Virginia’s plan,” said West Virginia Governor Jim Justice. “Protecting visibility in areas like Dolly Sods and Otter Creek is important for tourism and economic development. West Virginia appreciates the responsiveness of the new leadership at EPA and in this case, it means West Virginia has the freedom to develop its own plan and not have a one size fits all plan forced on us.”

During the Obama Administration, more than 50 Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) were imposed on states, including over a dozen under the Regional Haze program. Under the Trump Administration, EPA has turned approximately one FIP into a SIP every month.

Once the SIPs are published in the Federal Register, they will be available here:

Oil & Gas Targeted Improvements

The Oil & Gas Technical Package proposed targeted improvements to the 2016 New Source Performance Standards for the oil and gas industry that streamline implementation, reduce duplicative EPA and state requirements, and significantly decrease unnecessary burdens on domestic energy producers. This oil and gas targeted improvements package is expected to save up to approximately $484 million in regulatory costs from 2019–2025 or $75 million annually.

The proposed improvements include: aligning requirements between EPA's rule and existing state programs; modifying the frequency for monitoring leaks (also known as “fugitive emissions”) at well sites and compressor stations; and making it easier for owners and operators to use emerging measurement technologies in their leaks monitoring surveys.

The Agency continues to consider other policy issues in the 2016 rule, including the regulation of GHGs in the oil and gas sector, and will be addressed in a separate proposal at a later date.

EPA will take comment on the proposed rule for 60 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register and will hold a public hearing in Denver, Colo. Details on the public hearing will be available shortly.

For more information, visit https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-proposes-oil-and-gas-targeted-improvements-package-advance-president-trumps-energy

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will hold three public listening sessions on the proposed rulemaking, the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks (SAFE Vehicles Rule), in Fresno, Calif., Dearborn, Mich., and Pittsburgh, Penn.

The SAFE Vehicles Rule would update and correct the current national automobile fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards to give the American people greater access to safer, more affordable vehicles that are cleaner for the environment.

WHAT: Fresno, Calif. Public Hearing on the proposed SAFE Vehicles Rule
WHEN: Monday, September 24, 2018
WHERE: The Grand 1401, 1401 Fulton Street, Fresno, California 93721

WHAT: Dearborn, Mich. Public Hearing on the proposed SAFE Vehicles Rule
WHEN: Tuesday, September 25, 2018
WHERE: The Dearborn Inn, 20301 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn, Michigan 48124

WHAT: Pittsburgh, Penn. Public Hearing on the proposed SAFE Vehicles Rule
WHEN: Wednesday, September 26, 2018
WHERE: The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown, One Bigelow Square, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219

The hearings will start at 10 a.m. local time and continue until 5:00 p.m. or until everyone has had a chance to speak. If you would like to present oral testimony at a public hearing, please contact Kil-Jae Hong at NHTSA by the date specified, at kil-jae.hong@dot.gov. Please provide the following information: Name, affiliation, address, email address, telephone and fax numbers (if applicable), time you wish to speak (morning, afternoon) if there is a preference, and whether you require accommodations such as a sign language interpreter or translator.

Oral comments and supporting information presented at each session will be included in the docket for this proceeding.

The public hearing also provides an opportunity to offer comments regarding NHTSA's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), accompanying the proposed NHTSA fuel economy standards. Written comments about EPA and NHTSA’s joint proposal must be received by the last day of the comment period, October 23. Comments should be identified by Docket ID No. NHTSA-2018-0067 or EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0283.

Background

In the proposal, EPA and NHTSA are seeking public comment on a wide range of regulatory options, including a preferred alternative that locks in MY 2020 standards through 2026, providing a much-needed time-out from further, costly increases. The agencies’ preferred alternative reflects a balance of safety, economics, technology, fuel conservation, and pollution reduction. It is anticipated to prevent thousands of on-road fatalities and injuries as compared to the standards set forth in the 2012 final rule. The joint proposal initiates a process to establish a new 50-state fuel economy and tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions standard for passenger cars and light trucks covering MY 2021 through 2026.

The current standards have been a factor in the cost of new automobiles rising to an average of $35,000 or more—out of reach for many American families. Indeed, compared to the preferred alternative in the proposal, keeping in place the standards finalized in 2012 would add $2,340 to the cost of owning a new car, and impose more than $500 billion in societal costs on the U.S. economy over the next 50 years.

Additionally, a 2018 government study by NHTSA shows new model year vehicles are safer, resulting in fewer deaths and injuries when involved in accidents, as compared to older models. Therefore, the Administration is focused on correcting the current standards that restrict the American people from being able to afford newer vehicles with more advanced safety features, better fuel economy, and associated environmental benefits.

Details on the SAFE Vehicles Rule can be found at NHTSA’s website here and EPA’s website here.

Tag: SAFE Vehicles Rule

OAR Wrap Up: Proposed Rules Saving More Than $115 Million Annually in Regulatory Costs

EPA and DOT Announce Three Public Hearings on the Proposed SAFE Vehicles Rule

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