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OAR Box 1830 

Prepped by Ollie Stewart 

Document Number: 

36) IV-C-2 

Docket Number: 

A-87-11 

Printed 11/13/2008 7:20:52 AM Sheet 36 of 232 
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*< men * 

..' UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

W'ASHn>-GTON,Tj.C. 20460 

SEP I | 1987 

OFFICE OF 

AIR AND RADIATION 

Ms. Diane K. Steed 

Administrator 

National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration 

400 Seventh Street, S. W. 

Washington, D. C. 20590 

Dear Diane: 

I very much appreciate the fact that you and your staff 

took time from your busy schedules to meet with us earlier 

this week. From our viewpoint, the meeting was productive. 

While our agencies have different basic missions, there are 

many areas where our activities require close cordination and 

consultation. We certainly want to ensure that any safety 

concerns NHTSA has regarding emission control systems are 

dealt with. Hence it continues to be important and in everyone's 

best interest that we maintain a close working relationship. 

As we discussed, EPA's proposals to require fuel volatility 

and onboard refueling controls involve many controversial 

issues. One such issue is the safety aspect of such controls. 

EPA's onboard control proposal specifically requests comments 

on this issue and provides for a reopening of the public 

comment period after comments on tho issue are received from 

NHTSA. Since we share a desire for an openminded review of 

this issue, it is critical that our agencies work closely 

together through the coming months to analyze all available 

information and jointly work to resolve issues. 

As we discussed, the following steps constitute the basic 

approach we will take in coordinating our efforts regarding 

the refueling and fuel volatility rulemakings? 

(1) NHTSA will attend the public hearing and provide the 

riPA panel members any questions they would like asked. It is 

our understanding that NHTSA does not feel it necessary to have 

a representative on the hearing panel. 

(2) EPA will provide copies to NHTSA of all comments 

received. 
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(3) EPA and NHTSA staff will continue to have discussions 

of safety issues as appropriate. 

(4) After the comment period closes, SPA will prepare 

a summary and analysis of comments on the safety issues. 

(5) This document will be submitted to NHTSA for comment. 

(6) EPA will provide both the EPA analysis and the NHTSA 

comments to the public and reopen the comment period. 

(7) EPA and NHTSA will continue to work together to 

analyze and resolve any remaining safety issues. 

Beyond the refueling and fuel volatility control issues, 

I agree fully with youe desire for a more formal working 

arrangement between our agencies. I will be proposing a format 

for such an arrangement shortly. The basic idea I envision 

would be to meet periodically at whatever level necessary to 

discuss rulemakings and other regulatory activities ongoing 

or in the planning stage at each agency, to identify as early 

na possible those that involve issues of interest to the other 

agency, ami to ensure that the other agency's expertise and 

advice is solicited and utilized. While we have had a good 

working relationship in the past, these new arrangements should 

help ansure that coordination is obtained on all issues requiring 

it. 

Thanks again for your time and ideas. 

Sincerely yours, 

J. Crai^g Potter 

Assistant Administrator 

for Air and Radiation