UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

NATIONAL VEHICLE AND FUEL EMISSIONS LABORATORY 

2000 TRAVERWOOD DRIVE 

ANN ARBOR, MI 48105-2498 

 OFFICE OF 

 AIR AND RADIATION 

July 8, 2013 

MEMORANDUM 

SUBJECT: Meeting with National Tribal Air Association Members Regarding the Proposed 

Tier 3 Standards 

FROM: Catherine Yanca, Assessment and Standards Division 

Office of Transportation and Air Quality 

TO: EPA Docket # EPA-HQ-OAR-2011-0135 

This memo documents a meeting held on May 30, 2013 between the members of the National 

Tribal Air Association (NTAA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to discuss 

EPA’s proposed Tier 3 standards for motor vehicle emissions and fuels. Representatives of the 

following NTAA member organizations and EPA offices were invited to attend the meeting via 

phone: 

Tribes

Ak-Chin Indian Community 

Aleknagik Traditional Council 

Apache Tribe of Oklahama 

Aroostook Band of Micmacs 

Athabascan Nation - Chickaloon Village 

Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians 

Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa 

Indians 

Battle Mountain Shoshone Tribe 

Bishop Paiute Tribe 

Bristol Bay Native Association 

Buckland Nunachiak Corporation 

Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians 

Cabazon Band of Mission Indians 

California Valley Miwok Tribe 

Campo Band of Mission Indians 

Chemehuevi Tribe 

Cherokee Nation 

Chevak Traditional Council 

Chickasaw Nation 

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma 

Citizen Potawatomi Nation 

Cocopah Indian Tribe 

Coeur d'Alene Tribe 

Colorado River Indian Tribes 

Colville Confederated Tribes 

Comanche Nation of Oklahoma 

Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribe 

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians 

Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis 

Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian 

Reservation 

Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs 

Reservation 

Copper River Native Association 

Cortina Indian Rancheria 
Cow Creek Umpqua Tribe 

Coyote Valley Band Of Pomo Indians 

Delaware Nation of Oklahoma 

Delaware Tribe of Indians 

Douglas Indian Association 

Duck Valley Shoshone-Paiute Tribe 

Duckwater Shoshone Tribe 

Eastern Band of Cherokee 

Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma 

Eastern Shoshone & Northern Arapaho 

Tribes 

Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council 

Ely Shoshone Tribe 

Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe 

Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior 

Chippewa 

Forest County Potawatomi Community 

Fort Belknap Indian Community 

Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation 

Fort Mojave Indian Tribe 

Fort Peck Assiniboine-Sioux Tribes 

Ft. McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone Tribe 

Gila River Indian Community 

Havasupai Tribe 

Hoonah Indian Association 

Hopi Tribe 

Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians 

Hualapai Tribe 

Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. 

Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan (A 

consortium of Michigan's FR Tribes) 

Kaibab Band Of Paiute Indians 

Kaw Nation 

Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas 

Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma 

Klawock Cooperative Association 

Kootenai Tribe of Idaho 

La Jolla Band of Mission Indians 

Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior 

Chippewa Indians 

Lac du Flambeau Tribe 

Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe 

Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe 

Lovelock Paiute Tribe 

Makah Tribe 

Manzanita Band of Kumeyaay Nation 

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe 

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe 

Moapa Band of Paiutes 

Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut 

Morongo Band of Mission Indians 

Narragansett Indian Tribe 

Native Village of Chitina 

Native Village of Kivalina 

Native Village of Noatak 

Native Village of Tununak 

Navajo Nation 

Navajo Nation, EPA Radon Program 

Nez Perce Tribe 

Northern Cheyenne Tribe 

Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation 

Orutsararmiut Native Council 

Environmental Program 

Osage Nation 

Pala Band of Mission Indians 

Passamaquoddy Tribe - Pleasant Point 

Passamaquoddy Tribe of Indians, Indian 

Township Reserv 

Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians 

Pedro Bay Village Council 

Penobscot Indian Nation 

Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma 

Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi 

Indians 

Poarch Band of Creek Indians 

Pokagon Band of Potawatomi 

Ponca Tribe of Nebraska 

Port Graham Village Council 

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation 

Pueblo of Isleta 

Pueblo of Jemez 

Pueblo of Laguna 

Pueblo of Laguna 

Pueblo of Pojoaque 

Pueblo of Santa Clara 

Puyallup Tribe of Indians 

Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe 

Quapaw Tribe 

Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma 

Quechan Tribe 

Quinault Indian Nation 

Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians 

Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa 

Sac and Fox Nation 
Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri 

Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe 

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian 

Community 

San Carlos Apache Tribe 

Santa Clara Pueblo 

Santee Sioux Nation of Nebraska 

Sault Tribe of Chippewa 

Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma 

Shoshone Bannock Tribes 

Skagway Traditional Council 

Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians 

Southern Ute Indian Tribe 

Spokane Tribe of Indians 

St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin 

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe 

Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe 

Spirit Lake Tribe 

Swinomish Tribe 

Tachi-Yokut Tribe 

Tohono O'odham Nation 

Tualalip's Tribe Air Quality Program 

United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee 

Indians of Oklahoma 

Upper Skagit Indian Reservation 

Ute Mountain Ute Tribe 

Walker River Paiute Tribe 

Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head 

Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California 

Wells Band Indian Colony 

White Mountain Apache Tribe 

Wind River Environmental Quality 

Commission 

Wind River Indian Reservation 

Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska 

Yakama Nation 

Yavapai-Apache Nation 

Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe 

Yerington Paiute Tribe 

Yurok Tribe

Other Organizations

Office of Tribal Affairs/CDC National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) 

Tribal Consultation Resources, LLC 

Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) 

Stetson Law Offices 

Indian Health Services 

National Tribal Environmental Council (NTEC) 

Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission 

Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. 

U.S. EPA Offices

Office of Air & Radiation, Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards (OAR/OAQPS) 

Office of Air & Radiation, Office of Policy Analysis and Review (OAR/OPAR) 

Office of Air & Radiation, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (OAR/ORIA) 

Office of Air & Radiation, Office of Atmospheric Programs (OAR/OAP) 

Office of Air & Radiation, Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OAR/OTAQ) 

Office of Research & Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory (ORD/NRMRL) 

Office of Research & Development, National Center for Environmental Research (ORD/NCER) 

Office of General Council (OGC) 

EPA Region 10 

The meeting included an overview of the proposed Tier 3 standards presented by EPA, slides 

attached below. 

Attachment: 
Tier 3 Vehicle and Fuel Standard

Proposal Overview

May 2013
Overview

• What is Tier 3?• Why Tier 3?• Overview of the Program• Benefits and Costs• Public Participation
What is Tier 3?

• Systems approach to reducing motor vehicle poll

more stringent vehicle standards enabled by gasosulfur control sulfur control

• Creates a harmonized vehicle program

– Coordinated with California Low Emissions Vehicle prog

(LEV III) and Light (LEV III) and Light-duty Greenhouse Gas (GHG) standa

duty Greenhouse Gas (GHG) standa

finalized last year for model years (MY) 2017-2025

– Enables auto industry to produce and sell one vehicle n

• Part of comprehensive approach to create cleane

Part of comprehensive approach to create cleane

efficient vehicles

– Begins phasing in with model year 2017

T ll di t d li ith LEV III d LD G

– To allow coordinated compliance with LEV III and LD G
Why Tier 3: Air Quality and Public H

• Tier 3 standards would have immediate h

and air quality benefits

• Will help attain and maintain ozone and P

NAAQS

– Provides cost-effective national reductions tha

more expensive local controls

• Reduces pollution near roads

– More than 50 million people live work or go t

More than 50 million people live, work, or go t

near major roads
Why Tier 3: Harmonized Vehicle Pro

• California finalized LEV III standards last 

– EPA i d i d CAA i D b 

EPA issue

d a waiver un

der CAA in 

Decem

be

• The auto industry supports Tier 3 becaus

The auto industry supports Tier

3 becaus

want to produce and sell one vehicle nati

• Tier 3 is harmonized with LEV III

– Would begin in 2017 to allow coordinated com

with GHG and LEV III with GHG and LEV III
Tier 3 Vehicle Standards

• Phase in between 2017 and 2025 Phase in between 2017 and 2025• Tighter VOC and NOx tailpipe standards

– 80% reduction from today’s fleet average

• Tighter PM tailpipe standard

– 70% reduction in per-vehicle standard

• Evaporative emissions standards Evaporative emissions standards

– Reduced fuel vapor emissions and improved system d

• Revised certification test fuel to better reflect in-u

gasoline expected in 2017 gasoline expected in 2017

– Current certification test fuel has no ethanol

• Regulatory streamlining/harmonization changes 

response t th P id t’ R l t R i i 

to the 

President’s 

Regula

tory 

Review i
Why Lower Sulfur Gasoline?

• B h Ti 3 d LEV III hi l d d d d 

Bot

h Tier 

3 an

d LEV III vehi

cle stan

dar

ds 

depen

d upo

sulfur gasoline

– Sulfur at current levels degrades the performance of vehicl

converters the primary emission control system on vehicles converters the primary emission control system on vehicles

• Tier 3 vehicle standards not achievable without lower s• Lower sulfur also provides immediate reductions in NO

emissions from the existing fleet

• California alread has lo er s lf r gasoline (as do E r

California already has lo

wer

s

ulf

u

r gasoline (as do

E

ur

Japan, S. Korea, and several other countries)

– Other states prohibited from controlling gasoline sulfur on t

• Enables some lower-cost technologies for complying w

greenhouse gas standards
Tier 3 Fuel Standards

• Lower the average sulfur standard from 30 to 10 ppm 

Lower the average sulfur standard from 30 to 10 ppm 

January 1, 2017

– California is already 10 ppm sulfur on average, and Euro

Japan have a 10 ppm cap

• Proposing to either maintain the current per-gallon s

(80 ppm at refinery gate, 95 ppm at retail) or lower thppm and 65 ppm respectively

• Proposing the superset of flexibilities that have prove

successful in past EPA fuel programs:

– annual averaging 

– early credits– relief for small refiners and refineries

– economic and technical hardship provisions economic and technical hardship provisions
Tier 3 Emission Impacts

National Onroad Inventory Reductions

2017 2030

Tons Percent Tons Percent

NO

x 284,000 8 525,000 28

VOC 45,000 3 226,000 23PM 2.5 NA NA 7,500 10CO 747,000 4 5,765,000 30Ben ene Ben

zene 1 625 , 4 8 581 , 36

Total air toxics 15,000 3 90,000 23

• Emission reductions will continue to grow beyond 2030 as more 

continues to turn over to Tier 3 vehicles
Benefits of Tier 3

 Total Ozone and PM-related Premature Mortality Avoided: 

 820-2,400 in 2030 (based on range of ozone and PM mortality st

 Other PM- and ozone-related health impacts avoided in 203

 Hospital admissions and asthma-related ER visits: 3,200 Asthma exacerbations: 22,000 Upper and lower respiratory symptoms in children: 23,000 Lost school days, work days, and minor restricted activity days: 1

 Total Monetized Benefits in 2030 (2010$):

 $8 to $23 Billion
Summary of Costs and Benefits

• Fuel Sulfur Standard

– 0.89 cents per gallon– $2.1 billion in ca

p yp ital costs over 6 

year 

phase-in 

period

– Based on a detailed, peer-reviewed, refinery-by-refinery 

• Vehicle Standards in 2025

– $130 per vehicle $130 per vehicle

• Annual Cost in 2030

– Vehicle Program: $2.0 billion– Fuel Program: $1.3 billion

– Total Program: $3.4 billion

• Total Monetized Benefits in 2030 Total Monetized Benefits in 2030

– $8 to $23 Billion
Public Participation

• Hearings held April 24 and 29 Hearings held April 24 and 29

– Philadelphia and Chicago– Broad spectrum of stakeholders, including citizens– All testifiers supported Tier 3 except oil industry

• Comment period closes July 1

– Identify by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2011-0135 and su

• Internet: www.regulations.gov• E-mail: A-and-R-Docket@epa.gov• Mail or hand delivery: addresses can be found in the F

• More detailed information on the proposed rule 

be found at the Tier 3 website: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/tier3.htm