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NMIM and MOVES Runs for LD GHGAir Quality 

Modeling: Memorandum

Harvey Michaels, OTAQ

March 18, 2010

1) The models, inputs, and scripts used to run and process NMIM and MOVES for the LightDuty Greenhouse Gas Rule (LGR) FRM air quality modeling have been docketed on a DVD 

entitled “NMIM and MOVES Runs for LGR Air Quality Modeling: DVD.” This memo 

describes the contents of the DVD and provides an overview of how these models were used 

to generate the onroad and nonroad downstream inventories.

a) Title: “NMIM and MOVES Runs for LGR Air Quality Modeling: DVD”, written on the 

physical DVD.

b) Volume Label: LGR NMIM MOVES AQM

2) Contents of the DVD

a) MOVES folder

i) BatchFiles folder contains the batch files that execute the MOVES runs. Batch files 

are key to understanding the MOVES runs, because they control the runs and specify

the location and use of all files. Also included in this folder are scripts and text files 

used to construct the batch files.

ii) Code folder contains the MOVES code referenced in the batch files.

iii) RunSpecs folder contains the RunSpecs referenced in the batch files that control the 

MOVES runs. Also included in this folder are scripts and text files used to construct 

the RunSpecs.

iv) DefaultDB folder contains the MOVES default databases that were used.

v) UserDatabases folder contains the user-supplied databases that are referenced in the 

RunSpecs and modify the MOVES default database

vi) PerlScripts folder contains scripts used to process MOVES output. An annotated list 

of scripts is in rp.bat. 

b) NMIM

i) BatchFilesAndRunSpecs folder contains NMIM batch files and RunSpecs. Batch 

files are key to understanding the NMIM runs, because they control the runs and 

specify the location and use of all files. Also included in this folder are scripts and 

text files used to construct the batch files and RunSpecs.

ii) NMIM20090504 folder contains the NMIM code.

iii) NCD20090710LGR.zip is the zipped NMIM County Database 

iv) M6203CHC contains compiled MOBILE6 executable (M6203ChcOxFixNMIM.exe) 

and default external datafiles that NMIM used to run MOBILE6.

v) NR08a is the version of the NONROAD Model used to generate these inventories.

vi) Scripts folder contains Perl and MySQL scripts that prepare, post-process, and 

generate diagnostics for the NMIM runs. 

c) ProcessingScriptsAndDocumentation folder contains the scripts that post-processed 

NMIM and MOVES output into the LGR FRM AQM Inventories. An annotated list of 

scripts is in rp.bat. Five word documents provide additional documentation of specific 
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3) Description of the inventory production process

a) Onroad

For onroad mobile sources except motorcycles, EPA executed an internal draft version of 

MOVES dated 8/25/2009 (MOVES20090825), which is similar to Draft MOVES20091

with a number of improvements to the fuel effects data and code. This version of 

MOVES used default database MOVESDB20090902NoFuelSupply. A slightly later 

version, MOVES20091113, was run for evaporative runs to correct a bug in the code that 

processed evaporative emissions. This version of MOVES used default database 

MOVESDB20091109NoFuelSupply. The database names have the suffix 

“NoFuelSupply” because the fuel supply tables in both were truncated to allow for the 

use of a user-supplied fuel supply table. User-supplied fuel and temperature tables were 

used for these runs. 2005 fuels were those generated by the 2005 NEI process, in which 

EPA county-level estimates were updated by states and local agencies.2 2030 reference 

case fuels were estimated as those developed for the AEO case of the RFS2 rule.3 2030 

control case fuels were estimated as 100% E10. Historical temperature and humidity data 

for 2005 were used for all years. For motorcycles, we relied on the MOBILE6.2 model 

as run using the NMIM platform with county-specific fuel properties and temperatures. 

MOVES supplied all pollutants except SO2 and NH3, which came from NMIM runs. 

Onroad inventories were generated by multiplying MOVES emission factors by VMT 

developed for the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards's 2002 Version 3 

Modeling Platform (PF02v3)4and used in the recently published Locomotive-Marine 

Rule.

5

 This VMT, which was based on AEO2006,6 was adjusted to match the annual 

VMT from AEO2009,

7

but with county allocations preserved. AEO2009 growth factors 

from 2005 to 2030 were applied to 2005 NEI VMT using the three AEO categories: light 

duty, commercial light trucks and heavy duty. Assignments to MOBILE6 categories are 

straightforward except for Commercial Light Trucks, which are only gasoline in the AEO 

classification. The MOBILE6 Model was M6203ChcOxFixNMIM, a special version that 

includes cold-start VOC and the cold-start controls of the Mobile Source Air Toxics Rule 

that go into effect in 2011 and used in the recently published Locomotive-Marine rule. 

Onroad emissions generated at the state-month level from MOVES were distributed to 

the county-month level using the results from MOBILE6 as run by NMIM. 

b) Nonroad

Nonroad equipment except for aircraft, locomotives, and commercial marine vessels was 

modeled with the latest publically released NONROAD version NONROAD2008a.

8

This 

version of the NONROAD includes the benefits of the two nonroad regulations published 

in 2008 (the Locomotive and Marine Rule and the Small Spark-Ignition And Recreational 

Marine Engine Rule9) plus all previous nonroad regulations.

c) The MOVES runs produced emission factors at the state-month level for all onroad 

gasoline vehicles except motorcycles. Onroad gasoline inventories were generated by

multiplying MOVES emission factors by VMT developed for this rule. 
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d) MOVES was used for onroad gasoline emission factors because of significant 

improvements compared with MOBILE6. Because of difficulty with MOVES VMT 

allocation, MOVES was used as an emission factor model and VMT was applied at the 

state-month-SCC level. For 2005, the VMT came from the 2005 NEI. For 2030, lightduty VMT came from modeling done for this rule and was applied by state, month, 

SCCVtype, and model year. Because of performance limitations of MOVES, there was 

only time to run it at the state-month level. State inventories were allocated to the 

county-month level based on NMIM’s MOBILE6 runs. Despite the limitations of these 

methods, it was EPA’s judgment that they provided superior inventories to MOBILE6.

e) Both MOBILE6 and NONROAD were run using NMIM (version NMIM20090504) with 

NMIM County Database NCD20090710LGR. NMIM supplied emissions from the 

NONROAD Model and from onroad sources not produced from MOVES. The 

MOBILE6 Model was M6203ChcOxFixNMIM, a special version that includes cold-start 

VOC and the cold-start controls of the Mobile Source Air Toxics Rule that go into effect 

in 2011. The NONROAD Model version was the publically released version NR08a.

f) Onroad emissions generated at the state-month level from MOVES were distributed to 

the county-month level using the results from MOBILE6 as run by NMIM. 

g) Onroad gasoline PM was run by MOVES at 72F and adjusted by OAQPS at the grid-hour 

level based on temperature curves supplied by OTAQ.

h) For diesel, MOVES did not calculate toxics from VOC correctly, so we post-processed 

VOC to get these toxics using toxic/VOC ratios developed by Rich Cook. The table 

below shows the toxic/VOC ratio by SCCVtype.

Vtype Vtype Vtype Vtype Vtype Vtype Vtype

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

pid poll LDDV LDDT 2BHDDV LHDDV MHDDV HHDDV Buses

20 benz 0.02017 0.02011 0.01108 0.01102 0.01102 0.01099 0.01102

24 buta 0.00907 0.00905 0.00644 0.00640 0.00640 0.00638 0.00640

25 form 0.03892 0.03881 0.08256 0.08207 0.08206 0.08182 0.08211

26 acet 0.01240 0.01237 0.03040 0.03023 0.03022 0.03013 0.03024

27 acro 0.00353 0.00352 0.00369 0.00367 0.00367 0.00366 0.00367

 

1

For information on Draft MOVES2009, see http://www.epa.gov/otaq/models/moves/movesback.htm.

2 US EPA 2008, 2005 National Emissions Inventory Data & Documentation, 

http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/net/2005inventory.html.

3 US EPA 2010, Renewable Fuel Standard Program (RFS2): Final Rule, 

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/renewablefuels/regulations.htm.

4

See http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/emch/index.html#2002.

5

Final Rule: Control of Emissions of Air Pollution from Locomotives and Marine Compression-Ignition Engines 

Less Than 30 Liters per Cylinder (published May 6, 2008 and republished June 30, 2008). For details, see 

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/locomotives.htm#2008final.

6 Energy Information Administration. Annual Energy Outlook 2009. See 

http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/archive/aeo06/index.htmle
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7 Energy Information Administration. Annual Energy Outlook 2009. See 

http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/archive/aeo09/index.html

8 NONROAD Model 2008a. http://www.epa.gov/otaq/nonrdmdl.htm

9

Final Rule: Control of Emissions from Nonroad Spark-Ignition Engines and Equipment (published October 8, 

2008). For details, see http://www.epa.gov/otaq/equip-ld.htm. Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0472-0282