State of California AIR RESOURCES BOARD State Office Building Auditorium 455 Golden Gate Avenue San Francisco, CA August 23, 1972 10:00 a.m. AGENDA 1. Approval of Minutes of August 9, 1972 Meeting. 2. Report on Vacuum Spark Advance Disconnect Studies in Progress. 3. Consideration of Application for Accreditation of NOx Control Devices for 1966-1970 Model Vehicles. a. Echlin Corporation b. Dana Corporation 4. Vehicles Exempt from Required Exhaust Emission Control Device (1955-1965). 5. Discussion of Device Installation Schedules for 1955-1965 Vehicles. 6. Gasoline Engine Emissions vs. Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Natural Gas Engine Emissions. 7. Summary of New Car Approvals. 8. Proposed Regulations of Gasoline Filling Losses from Vehicle Fuel Tank. 9. Other Business. a. Test Results of 1972 Model Renault Vehicles. b. Used Car Control in Eastern Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. c. Others. 10. Remarks from the Audience. ITEM Staff Report on Current and Projected Studies of Vacuum Spark Advance Disconnect. Because of continuing interest and controversy over the use of vacuum spark advance disconnect (VSAD) as a means of partial control of nitrogen oxides emissions the Board has undertaken three contract studies and additional State studies of the possible adverse effects. The purpose of this report is to describe these incomplete projects, with comment on preliminary results where available. ITEM Application for Accreditation of an Exhaust Emission Control Device for Used Cars. Echlin Corporation At the June 21 meeting of the Air Resources Board, action was deferred on Echlin Corporation's application for accreditation of a device to control oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from 1966-1970 used vehicles. The basis for this deferral was concern for possible adverse effects on vehicle performance; specifically, coolant overheating and excessive valve wear in some vehicles. Following the June meeting, the Executive Officer suggested additional tests and data which would be helpful in trying to resolve the Board's reservations (letter attached). ITEM Application for Accreditation of an Oxides of Nitrogen Exhaust Emission Control Device for 1966-1970 Model Year Used Light-Duty Motor Vehicles. Perfect Circle Division, Dana Corporation At the June 21 meeting of the Air Resources Board, a decision on Dana corporation's application for accreditation of an oxides of nitrogen (NOx) exhaust emission control device for all 1966-1970 model year used light-duty motor vehicles was deferred due to the Board's reservations concerning driveability and durability. ITEM Exemption of Accredited Exhaust Emission Control Devices for 1955 through 1965 Model Year Vehicles. Exhaust emission controls for 1955-65 model year vehicles are required per Section 39129 of the Health and Safety Code and are to be implemented under Air Resources Board Resolution 72-39A effective September 1, 1972. Device installation on these vehicles is required upon transfer of ownership in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties and those portions of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties where crankcase emission devices are presently required. The above exhaust emission controls as accredited by the Board did not apply to vehicles with engines less than 140 cubic inch displacement. In addition, Sections 39126 and 39177 of the Health and Safety Code allow exemptions for vehicles subject to registration which can not be fitted with either the accredited Air Quality Products or General Motors exhaust emission control device. The staff has contacted the above manufacturers to determine the specific models or engine designs to which their device is not applicable. The attached Executive Order lists those 1955-65 model year vehicles which are exempt at this time from the required installation of an accredited exhaust emission control device. ITEM Device Installation Schedule for 1955-1965 Vehicles. At the April 19 meeting of the Air Resources Board, the Interagency Enforcement and Compliance committee reported its recommendations on a schedule for the mandatory installation of exhaust emission control devices for 1955 through 1965 vehicles. The Committee recommended that mandatory installation be started in the San Francisco Bay Area 90 days after the installation starts in the South Coast Air Basin and in the San Diego area 30 days after the start of installation in San Francisco. Selected air basins among the remaining air basins would start on dates to be established later. The Department of Motor Vehicles has requested that the Board discuss this proposed schedule and its relation to the problems of annual registration (see attached letter). The discussion may also bear upon the installation schedule for the 1966-1970 NOx device program. A representative from the Department is here to discuss installation schedule as it relates to registration problems. ITEM Comparison of Exhaust Emissions, Gasoline Engines vs. Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Natural Gas Engines. The Air Resources Board Laboratory has for several years conducted surveillance tests of used cars equipped with exhaust emission control systems. Previous reports have emphasized test results from cars operating on gasoline. This report concerns surveillance test results from cars operating on natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and compares these results with that obtained from testing 1971 and 1972 model cards operating on gasoline. ITEM Summary of Executive Orders Issued in Accordance with Resolution 72-104. On July 19, 1972, the Board adopted Resolution 72-104 which defined those official actions which could be taken by the Executive Officer without formal Board action. The Board requested the Executive Officer to keep it informed of approvals granted. This report is a summary of new car approvals that had been granted at the time this report was prepared. ITEM Proposed Regulation for Controlling Hydrocarbon Filling Losses from Vehicle Fuel Tanks. The emission of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere because of filling automobile gasoline tanks constitutes about 60% of the total emissions occurring in Los Angeles County during the marketing of gasoline. Expressed in other terms, filling automobile gasoline tanks results in 6.0 grams of hydrocarbon loss per gallon of gasoline transferred. The 1975 Federal exhaust emission hydrocarbon standard is equivalent to about 5.6 grams of hydrocarbon per gallon of gasoline, which is less than the filling loss. In view of these facts, the previous Air Resources Board instructed the staff to proceed with developing regulations to control hydrocarbon filling losses for vehicle fuel tanks. ITEM 1972 Renault Vehicles Oxides of Nitrogen Tests. During the May 17, 1972, Air Resources Board meeting, approval was granted to Renault, Incorporated for its engine family 807. Because the reported oxides of nitrogen emission values were unusually low, the Board Chairman requested the staff to have this new model vehicle tested in the Board's laboratory. ITEM Used Car Control in Eastern Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. On July 28, 1972, the Governor directed the Air Resources Board and the Department of Motor Vehicles to extend crankcase and exhaust control device requirements to the eastern portions of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The authority to extend crankcase devices to the entire county lies in each case with the county air pollution control district (Section 24263.8, Health and Safety Code). The Air Resources Board may require installation of the exhaust device in any areas in the State. It would probably be desirable, particularly from the Department of Motor Vehicles' point of view, to extend both programs at the same time. Accordingly, the staff recommends that extension of the exhaust device program be tied to extension of the crankcase device and further recommends that the Board urge the counties of Riverside and San Bernardino to extend the crankcase device at the earliest possible time that can be arranged with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Riverside County is already considering extending the crankcase requirements. ITEM Conversion of All Gasoline Powered Vehicles in the South Coast Basin to Gaseous Fuels. The City of Riverside requested that Governor Reagan declare a State of Emergency in the South Coast Air Basin and mandate the conversion of 7,000,000 vehicles in the basin from gasoline to gaseous fuels. The Riverside plan proposes to use natural gas to replace about 25 percent of the present gasoline consumed and liquefied petroleum gas to replace the remaining 75 percent. The conversion is to be completed in the 4-year period starting on January 1, 1973 and ending on December 31, 1976. A public hearing was held by the Air Resources Board on August 17 and 18, 1972 to obtain information on the availability of gaseous fuels and conversion equipment, the adequacy of existing fuel distribution facilities, the costs and benefits of such conversions and other related matters. Testimony was received from representatives of the City of Riverside, fuel suppliers and distributors, fuel users, conversion equipment manufacturers and suppliers, local air pollution control authorities and the general public.