Emission Regulations And Their Impact On Engine Choices And Costs

New emissions regulations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are scheduled to take effect in July and August. The regulations have a potentially large impact on domestic reciprocating engine usage and domestic energy production, but thus far, relatively little attention has been given to them.

On July 1, the next phase of the EPA’s new source performance standards (NSPS) for stationary spark-ignition (SI) internal combustion engines will take effect with new lower emissions standards for nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds (VOC).

In August, the EPA’s new regulations on hazardous air pollutants (HAPS) will be published.

Looking further to the future, greenhouse gases could be subject to regulation as early as 2011, which would further reduce allowable constituents of engine exhaust emissions. The EPA has also issued a proposal for lowering the ozone level with an effective date of 2012. Because ozone is not emitted directly into the air, but forms when emissions of precursors, including NOx, VOCs, CO and methane (CH4), “cook” in the sun, one can expect that these emission levels will be affected by this proposed legislation.

Besides these federal requirements, regional air boards in the U.S. and Canada have the authority to enact more stringent regulations as they see fit. So it is essential that owners and operators of gas compression equipment understand the effects these existing and pending regulations have on equipment purchases and fleet utilization decisions.

Before discussing the new EPA regulations and other new and pending clean air regulations, a brief review of the history of clean air legislation in the U.S. provides useful insights. While it may seem that the new EPA regulations have “come out of the blue,” they can be traced back almost 50 years to the Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1963. This landmark legislation is the foundation of air pollution control in the U.S. Since the original law was enacted, large and important amendments were added in 1970 and again in 1990, so that today the Clean Air Act enforces a comprehensive program for reducing air pollution.

As passed by Congress in 1963, the Clean Air Act offered federal research aid, urged the development of state control agencies, and involved the federal government in inter-state pollution issues1. In 1965, an amendment was added requiring the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) to create and enforce auto emission standards2. This amendment marked the beginning of the federal government’s active role in clean air policy. A 1967 amendment authorized the Secretary of HEW to designate air quality regions throughout the nation3. By doing this, the states were given primary responsibility for adopting and enforcing pollution control standards within those regions. However, by 1970, fewer than three dozen air quality regions had been designated, as compared to an anticipated number in excess of 100. In addition, not a single state had developed a full pollution control program4, so this approach was considered to be a failure.

As a result of the states’inaction, Congress moved to put the real power in the hands of the federal government with the passage of the Clean Air Act of 19705, which remains the basis for the nation’s air pollution control policy. It has four major components: