EPA finalizes low-emission rule for ag diesel engines


Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Mike Leavitt will today sign a new rule that will reduce harmful emissions from new nonroad diesel engines, including those used in farming.

The Clean Air Nonroad Diesel Rule includes new fuel requirements that will decrease the allowable levels of sulfur in fuel used in nonroad diesel engines, locomotives, and marine vessels by 99%. Lowering sulfur in diesel fuel makes it possible for engine manufacturers to use advanced clean technologies which can be damaged by sulfur, EPA says, just as lead was phased out of gasoline to prevent damage to catalytic converters.

The Agency says the rule will also provide public health benefits. The emission standards will reduce emissions of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from nonroad diesel engines by more than 90%. EPA estimates that by 2030, controlling these emissions will annually prevent 12,000 premature deaths, 8,900 hospitalizations, and one million work days lost. The overall benefits ($80 billion annuallly) of this rule outweigh the costs by a ratio of 40 to 1.

EPA has regulated highway diesel fuel quality since 1993. As part of the Clean Diesel Trucks and Buses program, EPA reduced the level of sulfur in highway diesel fuel by 97% starting in 2006.

Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum -- which represents manufacturers of engines, fuel and emissions control systems -- says the rule marks a new era for off-road diesel engines and equipment. "The diesel industry is committed to being part of the clean air solution, and this announcement signals the beginning of yet another chapter in the continuous improvement of these engines," he says.

However, Schaeffer says there are some challenges that must be overcome, including the diversity of nonroad engines ranging from 10 to 6,000 horsepower, extreme duty-cycles, a wide range of engine exhaust temperatures and space restraints of engine compartment size. "Despite these obstacl es, there is no question about industry's commitment to meet these aggressive standards," he says. "In fact, the work has already started. Engine and equipment manufacturers, fuel refiners and after-treatment technology manufacturers are already collaborating on the development of systems-based reductions strategies to meet these stringent requirements."

Read more about the rule, including compliance information, on the EPA Web site at www.epa.gov/nonroad-diesel/.
05/11/2004 09:13 a.m.CDT

 

Clean air is good.
Great that the EPA isn't considering requiring adding emissions devices to older off road engines like Calif wanted to do.
The law only effects new rigs and the new ultra low sulfur fuel will work just fine in older engines.

 

Well, duh. They either comply or are forced out of business by the new regs. Of course they're commited.

 

injection pumps will not like that. on newer engines and newer pumps, the low sulfer fuel is ok, but get an older pump and the low sulfer fuel won't work all that well. less lubricity factor in the fuel. pumps burn up

 

Sulfur in and of itself has nothing to do with lubricity. The additional refining required to remove the sulfur reduces the inherent lubricity of the diesel fuel. Once this was discovered, the refiners have added lubricity additives to the lower sulfur content diesel fuels to bring lubricity back up to spec.

Rusty

 

Rusty is correct.
It wouldn't go over too well for repeat sales if the fuel ruined pumps.
No additional additives should be needed.

 

This is a load of bull.

So...I can expect dollars (at the rate of 40 to 1, to be exact) to start flowing into my pockets by paying more for fuel?

Why doesn't anyone ever challenge this nonsense? This is one of my biggest disappointments with the Bush family administrations--They are as bad or worse than the Democrats when it comes to caving in to the environmentalists.

 

They are throwing a lot of misleading numbers around regarding sulphur % by 400%, 97%, etc.
Actual fact sulphur is/has been at 0.05% content of diesel for sometime (depending on how old or cheap the refinery is). ULSD is 0.01% sulphur content and some off road 0.015%. Here it comes and there it goes the 400% reduction (0.05% down to 0.01%). Political quack speak using big % reduction numbers as opposed to actual % content.