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# OAR Box 1830 Prepped by Ollie Stewart



### Document

Number: 

# 157 ) IV-C-12

4
Docket Number: 

# A-87-1 1

Printed 11/13/2008 7:20:59 AM Sheet 157 of 232P. 2

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UNITE D STATE S ENVIRONMENTA L PROTECTIO N AGENC Yj—

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. y WASHINGTON

. D.C

. 20460 "* l PH0& 

### | JU L 

### 2 5 198 8

TH E ADMINISTRATO R



### Honorabl e Joh

n D . Dingel l Chairman , Subcommitte e o n Oversigh t an

d Investigation s Committe e o n Energ

yan d Commerc e Hous e o f Representative s Washington , D C 2051 5
Dea r Mr . Chairman : Thi s i s i n respons e t o you r lette r o f May31 , 198 8 i n whic h yo u requeste d informatio n o n whethe r the simplifie d onboar d hardwar e design whic h w e hav e develope d ca n be applie d t o al l vehicle s covere d b you r propose d rule
. Yo u als o requeste d tha t EP Aexplai n th e "safet yproblems " associate d wit h th e propose d onboar d tes t procedur e a s identifie d b yth e aut o maker s an

d indicat e wha t EP Ai s doing t o correc t them
. Th e safet yissu e t o whic h yo u referre d wa s characterize d i n a lette r fro

mthe Moto r Vehicl e Manufacturer s Associatio n (MVMA ) t o yo u a s on e o f non-conformanc e o f th e propose d tes t procedur e wit h stat e an

d loca l fir e codes
. Wit h respec t t o you r questio n o n th e applicabilit yo f the simplifie d onboar d hardware , i t i s ou r expectatio n tha t th e basi c design woul d be usabl e o n essentiall yal l gasoline-powere d vehicles
. Th e ver ysimplicit yo f the desig n make s i t broadl yapplicable
. O f course , th e variou s aspect s o f th e overal l system suc h a s typ e o f liqui d seal , valv e placemen t an d size , caniste r siz e an d location , etc . woul d hav e t o b e optimize d fo r prope r performanc e o n differing vehicl e types . However , the basi c concep t o f using a liqui d sea l systemwit h a tan k mounte d vapo r control/rollove r valv e i s a ver yadaptabl e approach
. Th e onl ycas e whic h w e kno wo f wher e us e o f a liqui d sea l migh t be difficul t i s fo r a smal l fractio n o f heavy-dut y gasolin e truck s equippe d wit h sid e mounted , saddle-typ e tanks
. Thes e tank s have a ver yshor t fillpipe , making i t difficul t t o us e liqui d seals
. Suc h tanks , however , ar e generall yuse d o n diese l truck s an

d ar e relativel yrar e o n gasoline-fuele d truck s affecte d b

your proposal
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I t i s importan t t o kee pi nmind tha t w e hav e propose da refuelin g performanc e standar dan dno t a desig nstandard . EPA' s simplifie donboar d hardwar e i s a nexampl e o f on e potentia l design . Moto r vehicl e manufacturer s wil l be fre e t o develo pothe r design s shoul d a nonboar drequiremen t be promulgated . You r second questio nconcerne dpossibl e safet y problem s wit hth e propose d tes t procedur e raise db y MVM A an dsom e individua l manufacturer s i nthei r comments . I nou r review o f the comments , we foun d tha t safety-relate dcomments , whic hwer e few , largel y

involve d pointin g ou t area s wher e fir e code s woul d need t o b e considere d i nprope r facilit y design . W e agre e tha t thi s need s t o be don e t o insur e a saf e workplac e an dwoul d expec t manufacturer s t o full y compl y

wit hal l applicabl e fir e codes . Thi s i s no t a nunusua l situation . Man y o f ou r existin g tes t procedure s involve safety-relate dissues , suc ha s handlin g flammabl e liquid s an d testin g vehicle s i nenclose dareas . Clearl y

on e mus t us e cautio ni ndesignin g equipmen t an d developin g operatin g procedure s t o insur e safet y i nconductin g thes e tests . O f course , EPA i s als o intereste di nminimizin g the safety-relate d consideration s presente db y the refuelin g tes t procedur e wheneve r possible . A s I noted , we have receive d som e comment s o ntesting safety , whic hwe pla nt o full y conside r a s w

e procee dwit hth e rulemaking . We ma y be abl e t o incorporat e change s int o the procedur e whic hwil l simplif y the safety-relate d aspect s o f testing . I trus t tha t the precedin g informatio nrespond s t o the request s i nyou r letter . Shoul dyo uhave othe r question s o r concern s pertainin g t o ou r propose drule , pleas e le t u s know .

Sincerely , j,eeMo . Hwaaa. . Le e M . Thoma s

cc : Docke t A-87-1 1