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# OAR Box 1142 Prepped by Ollie Stewart



### Document

Number: 

# 27 ) IV-H- 1 Docket Number: 

# A-87-1 1

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Sheet 27 of 30or* . ^ p P. 2 li i ~&>/-J£JL X £ -H--OI | > # m \

UNITE D STATE S ENVIRONMENTA L PROTECTIO N AGENC Y l^l^r /

AN N ARBOR . MICHIGA N 4810 5

CC D A IQO T OFFIC E O F O u r H

U< J I AI ANi n RAniA R O DITIO N Dr . Merrit t Birk

y Nationa l Transportatio n Safet yBoard Burea u o f Technolog y TE-7 0 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S W Washington , DC 2059 4 Dea r Dr . Birky : Than k yo u fo r taking th e time t o mee t wit h m e an d m ystaf f o n Septembe r 2 , 198 7 t o discus s the safet yissue s surroundin g onboar d refueling controls . I recogniz e the tigh t schedul e yo u ar e operating under , an d trus t tha t w e wer e abl e t o provid e informatio n whic h wil l be usefu l t o yo u in completin g you r revie w o f thi s topic . A s indicate d during ou r meeting , w e hav e bee n activel y involve d in resolutio n o f the safet yquestion s concernin g onboar d control s an d hav e conducte d considerabl e analysi s in thi s area . W e believ e tha t the hardwar e require d t o implemen t onboar d vapo r recover yi s relativel ysimpl e an d present s n o unusua l safet ychallenges . Beyon d enlarging th e existin g evaporativ e contro l caniste r an d vapo r lines , the onl yhardwar e change s involv e a fillnec k vapo r sea l (liqui d trap o r mechanica l sea l device ) an d som e for mo f rollove r protectio n suc h a s the mechanica l shutof f valv e o n the prototyp e hardwar e w e showe d you . Bot h NHTS Aan d manufacturer s hav e concurre d tha t the hardwar e require d for onboar d control s presen t no inheren t safet ydesign problem . (W e highlighte d the importan t passage s i n the packag e o f manufacture r an d NHTS Acomment s w e supplie d t o you. ) The mai n concern whic h remain s i s the determinatio n o f adequat e leadtime t o allo w carefu l consideratio n o f safet yfactor s in onboar d systemdevelopment . Thi s i s a facto r t o which , a s w e indicate d t o you , w e inten d t o giv e carefu l consideratio n i n developing ou r fina l rules . A s w e emphasize d t o yo u a t our\meeting , w e als o believ e tha t a ful l assessmen t o f the safet yimpact s o f onboar d control s mus t look a t the improvement s i n genera l fue l system safet ywhic h wil l accompan ythe ne w hardware . Ou r analysi s indicate s tha t safet yimprovement s wil l occur i n a t leas t fiv e areas . Ther e wil l b e a reductio n i n fue l spillag e during refueling operation s du e t o ou r tes t procedur e requirement s an d in-us e dispensin g rat e restrictions . Ther e wil l b e a reduce d probabilit yo f hazard fro muncontrolle d vapor s escapin g fro mP. 3

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- the caniste r compare d t o curren t evaporativ e controls , du e t o th e increase d siz e o f the refueling canister . The remova l o f the refueling vapor s fro mthe fillnec k exi t wil l reduc e the potentia l safet yan d healt h hazar d associate d wit h thos e vapors . Th e inclusio n o f refueling control s wil l provid e the opportunit yt o incorporat e safet yimprovement s t o othe r existing fue l systemcomponent s a s well . Finally , th e propose d reductio n o f fue l volatilit ywil l provid e overal l safet y enhancement s fo r the fue l system . W e als o discusse d the fac t tha t bot h EP Aan d NHTS A standard s ar e performanc e base d rathe r tha n design based . Thi s mean s tha t manufacturer s hav e flexibilit yi n thei r design approache s t o meeting standards , an d migh t tak e approache s whic h ar e differen t than w e woul d anticipate . However , provision s o f bot h the Clea n Ai r Ac t an d our regulation s recogniz e thi s possibilit yan d requir e tha t manufacturer s tak e responsibilit yfor developin g saf e designs . Sectio n 202(a)(4)(A ) o f th e Ac t prohibit s th e us e o f unsaf e device s b y manufacturers . According t o tha t Sectio n "n o emissio n contro l device , system , or elemen t o f design shal l be use d in a ne w moto r vehicl e or new moto r vehicl e engin e fo r purpose s o f complying wit h standard s prescribe d unde r thi s subsectio n i f suc h device , system , or elemen t o f design wil l caus e o r contribut e t o a

n unreasonabl e ris k t o publi c health , welfare , o r safet yi n it s operatio n or function. " Thi s requiremen t i s reflecte d i n Sectio n 86.084-5(b ) (1 ) o f ou r regulations , a s containe d i n the Cod e o f Federa l Regulations , whic h state s tha t an ysystem

installe d t o enabl e a vehicl e o r engin e t o confor m t o emissio n standard s "shal l no t in it s operation , function , o r malfunctio n resul t in an yunsaf e conditio n ..endangerin g the moto r vehicle , it s occupants , or person s o r propert yin clos e proximit yt o th

e vehicle. " W e inten d t o mak e ful l us e o f thi s authorit yin reviewing an ydesign s eventuall ysubmitte d t o EP A fo r certificatio n unde r an onboar d refueling contro l requirement . W e als o expec t t o seek NHTS Arevie w o f hardwar e design s befor e certifying the mfo r introductio n int o commerce . I realiz e tha t w e hav e give n yo u a larg e amoun t o f dat a an d analyse s t o diges t i n a shor t time . I n ou r presentatio n t o yo u w e attempte d t o highligh t ke ymatter s whic h we believ e nee d t o be considered . I f yo u hav e an yremaining unresolve d question s or concern s pleas e do no t hesitat e t o contac t m e again . W e enjoye d meeting wit h yo u an d woul d be happ

yt o provid e furthe r informatio n i f i t woul d be helpful . / Sincere , Cheste r J . fr$hce, Chie f Standard s Development 7 and Suppor t Branc h cc : C . Gra

y •R . Wilso n Docke t A-87-1 1