U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY EPA 400-F-92-003

OFFICE OF MOBILE SOURCES

FACT SHEET OMS-1

August, 1994

National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory

The National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) conducts the

Federal Government’s principal program to control air pollution from motor

vehicles. The lab’s primary responsibilities include developing national regulatory programs to reduce mobile source related air pollution; evaluating emission

control technology; testing vehicles, engines, and fuels; and determining compliance with Federal emissions and fuel economy standards. Organizationally, the

lab functions as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Washington, D.C. headquarters (see chart on reverse side).

The laboratory was established in 1971, shortly after the creation of EPA. It is

located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, near the headquarters of domestic automobile

manufacturers to facilitate transfer of test vehicles back and forth. Several

private sector technology centers are also located nearby, making the Ann Arbor

area the world center for research on automotive pollution control.

There are currently 400 Federal and contract employees at NVFEL. Staff expertise spans a variety of technical and public policy fields including auto mechanics, engineering, science, economics, natural resources, and law.

For the first 20 years of operation, NVFEL’s goals centered around working with

industry to reduce emissions from individual automobiles. The approach

achieved considerable success — compared to an uncontrolled passenger car of

1970, an average car on the road today emits 60 to 90 percent less pollution over

its lifetime. But the amount of driving in this country doubled during the same

20 years, and the automobile remains the single largest source of air pollution in

the United States. More than half the U.S. population lives in areas where

pollution levels exceed Federal air quality standards.

The challenge for NVFEL as we approach the next century will be to find ways

to reduce vehicle-related pollution while vehicle travel continues to grow. Congress outlined a four-point strategy in the 1990 Clean Air Act to achieve emission

reductions from transportation sources. The strategy broadens the lab’s activities beyond its original focus on new car emission standards to emphasize:

Clean Vehicles — Cars, buses, trucks, and even nonroad vehicles such as

construction equipment and boats.

Clean Fuels — Reformulated gasoline, diesel fuel, and nonpetroleum

alternatives.

Inspection and Maintenance and Onboard (computerized) Diagnostics — Programs to identify faulty emission controls and ensure their re-
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National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory

For More Information:

The Office of Mobile Sources is the national center for research and policy on air

pollution from highway and off-highway motor vehicles and equipment. You

can write to us at the EPA National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory,

2565 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. Our phone number is (313) 668-4333.

pair so vehicles remain clean in actual customer use.

Clean Transportation Alternatives — Strategies to discourage solo

driving and to limit vehicle travel growth.

NVFEL played a key role in developing these strategies and is now actively

involved in their implementation.

EPA Administrator

The President

Office of Air and Radiation

Office of Mobile Sources

Other Federal Departments and Agencies

Regions and Other Program Offices:

Water, Solid Waste, Toxics, etc.

Other Air Programs:

Sationary Sources, Radiation, Acid Rain, etc.

Vehicle and Fuels Enforcement Programs:

Washington, D.C.

National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory

Ann Arbor, MI

NVFEL and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency