1 

Resource

Information

Office of Transportation 

and Air Quality 

EPA420-F-05-054 

November 2005 

Office of Transportation and Air Quality

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of

Transportation and Air Quality’s (OTAQ) mission is to reconcile the

transportation sector with the environment by advancing clean fuels and

technology, and working to promote more liveable communities. OTAQ

is responsible for carrying out laws to control air pollution from motor

vehicles, engines, and their fuels. Mobile sources include: cars and light

trucks, large trucks and buses, farm and construction equipment, lawn

and garden equipment, marine engines, aircraft, and locomotives.

Overview

EPA’s motor vehicle emissions control program was established in 1971. 

OTAQ is divided between EPA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., and the 

National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan, near 

the headquarters of domestic automobile manufacturers. 

There are about 400 employees in OTAQ. Staff expertise spans a variety of 

technical and public policy fields including auto mechanics, engineering, 

chemistry, economics, natural resources management, and law. OTAQ 

develops national standards for emissions, evaluates emission control technology, tests vehicles, engines, and fuels, and determines compliance with federal 

emission and fuel economy standards. We also develop fuel standards, 

inspection and maintenance programs, and market and transportation incentive programs. 

Printed on Recycled Paper
2 

Reducing Air Pollution from Mobile Sources

The early goals of OTAQ centered around working with industry to reduce 

emissions from individual automobiles. The approach achieved dramatic 

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. 

However, the amount of driving in this country has more than doubled since 

then, so transportation still accounts for a large part of national air pollution. 

More than half the U.S. population live in areas where pollution levels exceed 

federal air quality standards. 

A major challenge for OTAQ is to find ways to reduce vehicle-related pollution given the increase in vehicle travel. Congress outlined a four-point strategy 

in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments to achieve further emission reductions 

from transportation sources. The strategy broadens our program activities 

beyond the original focus on new car emission standards to emphasize: 

• Clean Vehicles - Develop more stringent emission standards for cars, 

buses, trucks, and nonroad engines, such as construction equipment, 

boats, lawn and garden equipment, and locomotives. 

• Clean Fuels - Develop reformulated gasoline, diesel fuel, and 

nonpetroleum alternatives. 

• Inspection and Maintenance and Onboard Diagnostics - Develop 

programs to identify faulty emission controls and ensure their repair so 

vehicles remain clean in actual customer use. 

• Clean Transportation Alternatives - Develop strategies to encourage 

transportation alternatives to address vehicle travel growth. 

Organization Overview

1990 Clean

Air Act

Advanced 

Technology 

Division 

Transportation & 

Regional Programs 

Division 

Transportation 

& Climate 

Division 

Compliance & 

Innovative Strategies 

Division 

Assessment & 

Standards 

Division 

Laboratory 

Operations 

Division 

Office Director 
3 

Divisions

The Advanced Technology Division (ATD) is responsible for all automotive 

technology development programs to improve fuel economy and to reduce 

vehicle and fuel emissions from mobile sources. The major focus of the 

division is the development of new and emerging technologies, such as Clean 

Car (Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles), low NOx diesel engines, 

and alternative fuel technologies. ATD is also responsible for climate change 

policies and strategies related to vehicle efficiency and fuels. 

The Assessment and Standards Division (ASD) identifies and develops future 

emission control strategies (such as new vehicle, engine, and fuel quality 

standards) and national policy on mobile source emission control. The division 

develops regulations and policies, determines the contribution of mobile 

sources to pollutant emission inventories, and assesses the feasibility, cost, and 

in-use effectiveness of emission control technologies. 

The Compliance and Innovative Strategies Division (CISD) implements 

emission standards for all light-duty vehicles, and highway and nonroad 

engines. The Division certifies that these vehicles and engines meet emission 

standards prior to being sold, and ensures that standards continue to be met 

throughout the vehicle or engine's life. CISD also promotes, under the National Clean Diesel Campaign, the voluntary use of diesel engines. These 

engines could continue to be operated for another 20 to 30 years and are not 

subject to more stringent emission standards that apply to new engines. 

The Laboratory Operations Division (LOD) provides emission testing services 

for motor vehicle, heavy-duty engine, and nonroad engine programs in support of rulemakings, enforcement actions, and test procedures development. 

Testing activities include certification, fuel economy in-use compliance, fuels 

and fuel additives analysis, and exhaust compounds analysis. 

The Transportation and Climate Division (TCD) is responsible for coordinating OTAQ climate programs. These responsibilities include the technical 

analyses of the potential vehicle technology and fuel pathways for reducing 

greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, identifying and evaluating various options to promote the technology and fuel pathways, the development or macroeconomic modeling tools for transportation analyses, and the 

maintenance of transportation greenhouse gas emission inventories. TCD is 

also responsible for interacting with other EPA offices, external stakeholders, 

and the public on transportation climate issues. 

Advanced

Technology

Division

Assessment

and

Standards

Division

Compliance

and

Innovative

Strategies

Division

Laboratory

Operations

Division

Transportation

and Climate

Division
4 

The Transportation and Regional Programs Division (TRPD) works with 

regions, states, local governments, and other stakeholders to reduce pollution 

from fuel, transportation, and nonroad sources. TRPD implements national 

and regional pollution control programs, such as the reformulated gasoline 

(RFG) and inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs. This division develops and supports voluntary initiatives that encourage clean air and liveable 

communities, such as the commuter choice program. TRPD also implements a 

transportation-based climate change program. 

For More Information

You can access information on OTAQ programs and regulations from our 

Web site at: 

www.epa.gov/otaq 

You can also contact the NVFEL library for document information at: 

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Office of Transportation and Air Quality 

NVFEL Library 

2000 Traverwood Drive 

Ann Arbor, MI 48105 

(734) 214-4311 

Transportation

and Regional

Programs

Division