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# OAR Box 1818 Prepped byOllie Stewart



### Document

Number: 

# 56 ) ll-D-2 8
Docket Number: 

# A-87-1 1

Printed 11/6/2008 3:12:45PM

Sheet 56 of 79P. 2

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Jul y 28 , 198 7

Th e Honorabl e Dian e K . Stee d Administrato r Nationa l Highwa yTraffi c Safet yAdministratio n Departmen t o f Transportatio n 40 0 Sevent hStreet,"s
. W . Washington , D . C
. 2059 0 

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Dea r Ms . Steed : 

### >s c tha t 198 7 yo u testif ybefor e ou r i n Roo m212 3 o f the 10:0 0 a.m . Th e hear - ? , 3

_ , vehicl e an d vehicl e includin g thos e discusse d i n th e thre e Thi s confirm s m

ystaff' s reques t Subcommitte e o n Monday , Septembe r 21 , . Raybur n Hous e Offic e Buildin g beginnin g a t in g wil l cover , amon g othe r things , moto r fue l safet yissues , K 'U.v^. ,

letter s date d Jul y2 1 fromth e Environmenta l (EPA ) tha t ou r staf f '-:> . s previou s earlie r correspondence
. Protectio n Agenc y t o yo u i n ou r Despit e a specifi c Clea n Ai r Ac t regardin g slo wt o begi n a t EPAun t Institut e fo r Highwa yS a th e matter . Give n th e f regulatin g th e same veh i President , i t seem s iog. i Executiv e Branc hwoul d b coordinatio n withou t any satisfied , a t least , tha available
. Indeed , EPA ' hardl yreassurin g and r a consultatio n provisio n sinc e 197 7 i n th e onboar d controls , suc hconsultatio n wa s i l thi s Subcommitte e and th e Insuranc e fet ybega n t o escalat e th e importanc e o f ac t tha t you r agenc yand EP Aar e cle s and tha t yo u bot hoperat e unde r on e ca l tha t adequat e provisio n withi n th e e mad e t o insur e consultatio n ancia.

- statutor ydirective
. Bu t I amno t t anysure-fir e forma l mechanis mi s s Jul y2 1 lette r abou t coordinatio n i s the r patronizing
. EPAsaid : Your second betwt nEPA

an d impact s o f acti o an d NHTS A

d o co o tha t regulation s agencie s wil l n o econom yproblem s issue s i n thei r coul d impac t the discussion s wit h NHTS Aha s the o p concer n relate d t o

NHTS Ao n th e safet y n s affectin g th e au t rdinate , wheneve r n e issue d and action s t creat e safety , em i ; Whe n EP Abecome s rulemakin g proposal s safet yo f moto r ve h NHTS Ao n thes e iss u portunit yt o commen t coordinatio n and environmenta l o industry
. EPA cessary , t o assur e take n b

yth e tw o ssio n o r fue l awar e o f anysuc h o r action s whic h icles , w e initiat e es . Furthermore , o n anyo f ou rP. 3



### Th e Honorabl e Dian e K . Stee d Pag e 2

a,. rulemakin g proposal s durin g a publi c commen t perio d i f if' the yhave a safet yconcern . Also , i f othe r agencie s o r

intereste d partie s rais e anygenuin e safet yconcern s o n a propose d rulemaking , EP Awil l coordinat e wit hNHTS A t o evaluat e thes e concerns . Safet yi s a n importan t concer nto-EP Ai n ou r rulemakings
. W e woul d no t imple

men t anymoto r vehicl e emissio nstandar d i f i t woul d degrad e moto r vehicl e safety
. EPA' s letter s t o th e Insuranc e Institut e an d th e Cente r fo r Aut o Safet yo n safet yissue s ar e o f th e sam e vein
. Th e thrus t i s tha t i f someon e discover s a safet yissue , som e for mo f consul

tatio nwil l occur . Bu t i t i s no t automati c fo r all
. EP Amobil e sourc e relate d regulations
. I think i t shoul d be
. I .reques t tha t you r testimon yaddres s tha t issue
. I nth e cas e o f onboar d controls , you r agenc yexpresse d concern s lat e las t yea r and las t Jun e abou t safety.

- Ye t th e regulation s propose d b yEP Alas t wee k d o no t reflec t thos e concerns . A t pag e 180 , EP Astate s a belio f tha t "practica l an d effectiv e onboar d system s ca n b e designe d and built , a t a reasonabl e cost , tha t wil l no t adversel yaffec t vehicl e safety. " Further , a t pag e 187 , EP Astate s a "leadtime " o f "a t leas t tw o year s ma yb e adequat e fo r th e vas t majority , i f no t all , vehicl e families. " Neithe r statemen t appear s consisten t wit hyou r agency' s ietcers
. Z • y; u agree ? 

### EP Astate s tha t i t ha s incorporate d NHTSA' s Jun e 1 1 comment s i nit s technica l report . D o yo u agree ? Rathe r tha nrequir e EP At o withdra wth e proposal s o r chang e th e proposal s t o advanc e rulemaking , I understan d tha t a t th e insistenc e o f th e Offic e o f Managemen t and Budge t (OMB) , EPA' s proposa l wa s change d (a t pag e 193(a) ) t o stat e tha t "EP Awil l reope nth e recor d c r thi s rulemaking " (and I assum e th e directl y relate d volatilit yrule ) "whe nth e Agenc yreceive s th e comment s fro m th e Secretar yo f Transportatio nan d wil l repropos e th e rul e fo r commen t t o asses s change d circumstances. " I n a Jul y2 3 lette r t o me , Vice Presiden t Bus hsai d thi s "commitmen t t o repropos e convert s th e initiativ e t o th e equivalent " o f a n "ANPRM " an d "wil l provid e th e Tas k Forc e wit hampl e opportunit y t o conside r th e safet yconcern s o f th e Departmen t o f Transpor

tatio na s wel l a s an yothe r developments , including , bu t no t limite d to , thos e relate d t o anyleadtim e requirement s tha t ma y b e established. " Whil e I conside r thi s "commitment " a n improve

men t ove r th e Redborde r versio nsubmitte d t o OM B b yEP Aan d applau d OM B fo r it s imagination , i t i s nevertheles s a rathe r costl ywa yt o resolv e thes e safet yconcerns . Enclose d i s a n editoria l fro mth e Detroi t New s tha t i s critica l o f th e rule s fo r safet yan d othe r reasons .P. 4



### Th e Honorabl e Dian e K . Stee d Pag e 3 fii na Jul y2 1 lette r t o th e Subcommittee , EP Astates :

-Ou r analysi s o f th e safet yissu e indicate s tha t relativel ystraightforwar dengineerin g solution s exis t t o th e potentia l safet yproblem s identified , an d n o technologica l barrier s exist t o th e saf e implementatio n o f onboar d controls
. O nth e surface , th e trad e associatio nandmanufacture r commen t letter s mentione d abov e questione donboar dsafety
. However , upo ncarefu l readin g thei r position s ar e basicall yth e sam e a s tha t take nb yEPA , excep t fo r disagreement s concernin g ho * muc hleadtim e i s needed
. Referrin g t o th e onboar d safet yissue , AI Asays : "th e automobil e indusr yha s develope dtechnologie s i nth e pas t t o dea l wit hmanydifferen t challenge s and thi s proble m

i s n o different
. Whil e w e thin k onboar dsystem s ca nb e designe d t o b e safel y incorporate dint o a moto r vehicle , adequat e lead

tim e mus t b e allowe dt o properl ydesig nan d tes t suc hsystem s t o ensur e tha t n o safet yproblem s exists. " Similarly , MVMAagree s that : "addition s t o fue l system s c o no : nee d t o compromis e safety, "
an dthat : "onboar drefuelin g vapo r recover ywoul d requir e tha t manufacturer s mus t b e give nsufficien t leadtim e t o ensur e n o compromise. " Th e comment s receive d fro m Mazda , Toyota , and Nissa nfocuse d mor e o nleadtim e and cos t concerns ; non e sai dtha t implementin g onboar dcontrol s safel ywa s technologicall yinfeasible
. Furthermore , whil e NHTS A recentl yprovide d som e technica l comment s o nou r draf t safet yanalysis , thei r Jun e 11 , 198 7 lette r t o EP A acknowledge dtha t n o technica l breakthrough s ar e neces sar yt o desig nan ddevelo p saf e onboar d system s an d tha t the ke y

elemen t i ncompletin g thi s proces s i s th e provisio no f adequat e leadtime
. Thus , i t appear s t o be
. a consensu s o f th e commenter s tha t onboar d safet yi s mor e a nissu e o f leadtime , andperhap s t o som e degre e cost , rathe r tha n on e o f technologica l feasibility
. . Undoubtedly , lead

tim e wil l b e a ke yissu e i na nonboar d rulemaking , an d a determinatio no f th e leadtim e neede d t o implemen t onboar dcontrol s vil l b e base do nanalysi s o f comment sP. 5

•* • Th e Honorabl e Dian e K . Stee d Pag e 4

I d o no t quarre l abou t th e issu e o f "technologica l break

through. " Bu t I understoo d fromyou r agency' s letters , tha t you believe d(as doe s th e industry ) tha t th e technology

i s "complex, " no t "simple. " A

m I correct ? I als o not e tha t yo u state d a belie f "tha t ther e wil l b e som e unquantifiable , increase d risk s o f cras han dnon-cras hfir e associate d wit honboar d controls " and tha t yo u have no t change d tha t belief
. I s tha t correct ? O n th e othe r hand , EP Astate s tha t base d o n it s analysis , "straightforward , reliabl e engineerin g solution s exis t fo r eac h o f th e potentia l problem s identified " and tha t "th e overal l fue l syste m safet yfo r in-us e vehicle s coul d improve wit himplementa tiono f onboar d controls"
. Wha t i s you r understandin g abou t thes e "solutions " and possibl e "fue l syste m safety " improvements ? wha t ar e the cos t an d engineerin g resourc e implication s o f thes e solutions ? In lizr.z.zpag e 193 : a : o f the rulemaking , and i n ligh t o f th e natura l reluctanc e o f th e industr yt o sugges t (fo r lot s o f reasons , includin g produc t liabilit yand competition ) tha t thei r vehicle s ma yfac e safet yproblems , ho wdoe s you r agenc ypla n t o addres s thi s issu e s o a s t o provid e th e bes t possibl e comment s t o EPApursuan t t o pag e 193(a ) o f th e propose d rule ? You r testimonyshoul d als o addres s th e fue l volatilit y safet yissue s tha t youar e familia r wit hi n regar d t o th e For d ambulanc e case , a s wel l a s th e concern s o f the Cente r fo r Aut o Safet y in -regard s t o Colorado' s oxygenate dfuel s progra m an dthe exten t o f consultatio nove r thes e matter s betwee nEPA an dNHTSA . Pleas e not e th

e EP A repl y t o th e Cente r an

dEPA' s lette r t o the Subcommitte e indicat e n o plan s t o consul t wit hyou r agency . A s to th

e For dambulanc e issue , I not e tha t for mode l yea r 198 8 Fordannounce dtha t i t woul d n o longe r sel l gasoline-powere d vehicle s becaus e o f th e us e o f catalyst s to mee t new emissio n standards . Pleas e discus s th e exten t t o whic hyou r agenc y wa s consulte d b

y EP A i n regar d t o th e developmen t o f th e applicabl e standard s concernin g anysuc hsafet y issue s for mode l yea r 198 8 vehicles . D o yo u think tha t safet yproblem s cite d b y Fordexis t onl y inregardto ambulances ? Wha t abou t othe r vehicle s o f variou s manufacturer s tha t mus t us e catalysts ? Pleas e explain .P. 6

Th e Honorabl e Dian e K . Stee d Pag e 5

* * Also , pleas e tel l u s o f you r involvemen t i n regar d t o th e heavydut y

truc kregulation s o f EPAapplicabl e t o mode l year s 199 1 and 199 4 fro mth e standpoin t o f safety , particularl yi n regar d t o the us e o f trap technology
. Ar e yo u lookin g int o th e matte r now ? Pleas e explain
. Pleas e limi t you r ora l statemen t t o si xpages , double-space d o n non-lega l siz e paper . You r detaile d statemen t fo r the recor d ma yb e o f anylength
. Pleas e delive r a t leas t 3 0 copie s o f eac h t o ou r Subcommitte e offic e b ySeptembe r 17 , 198 7 and brin g 7 5 copie s o f eac ht o th e hearin g roomfo r distributio n b you r staff
. Enclose d i s a cop yo f the Subcommitte e rules
. Pleas e confir m

(b ycallin g ou r staf f offic e a t 225-4441 ) tha t yo u wil l testif yo n Septembe r 21 , 1S37
. Wit hbes t wishe s

JOHND . DINGEL L Chairma n Subcommitte e o n er sigh t and Ir.vestiga :
Enclosure s
cc : Th e Honorabl e Thoma s J . Bliley , Jr. , Rankin g Minorit yMembe r Subcommitte e o n Oversigh t and Investigation s Th e Honorabl e Georg e Bus h Vic e Presiden t o f th e Unite d State s Th e Honorabl e Elizabet hHanfor d Dole , Secretar y Departmen t o f Transportatio n Th e Honorabl e Le e M . Thomas , Administrato r Environmenta l Protectio n Agenc y Th v Honorabl e Jame s C
. Mille r III , Directo r Offic e o f Managemen t and Budge t Th e Honorabl e Charle s A . Bowsher , Comptrolle r Genera l Genera l Accountin g Offic e