OPEI: Manufacturers Cautious in Support of Proposed Emissions Regulations

The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) is cautious in its support of the Environment Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed ruling on small engines released April 17. This regulation represents the third generation of small off-road standards in the last 13 years. While OPEI has not had time to fully read the final version of the NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rule Making), the association has been working constructively with the EPA to assure that states can obtain the clean air benefits they need while the realities and complexities of the non-integrated outdoor power equipment industry are considered.

"We knew this ruling was imminent," says Bill Harley, president and CEO of OPEI. "The industry has been working with EPA all along."

The manufacturers of lawn and garden equipment have spent millions of dollars and invested heavily in innovative technologies to significantly reduce emissions. Over the last 13 years, improvements in outdoor power equipment design have resulted in the reduction of exhaust emissions by over 70 percent. According to EPA, the proposed Phase III regulations would achieve an additional 35 percent reduction in exhaust emissions and a 45 percent reduction in fuel evaporative emissions.

“The industry has proven that it is committed to manufacturing products that are both safe and environmentally-friendly,” Harley says. “Our members are already the world leaders in low emission outdoor engines.  The products manufactured today are cleaner, quieter, and more efficient than ever before.”

Earlier this year, OPEI announced support for California’s rule on emissions, granted by an EPA waiver on Dec. 11, 2006, with the caveat that the EPA would develop a homogeneous regulation that mirrored the requirements of California or provide reciprocity for California certified product. 

“Homogeneous regulations will permit the industry to manufacture, test, certify, and distribute one product for all 50 states rather than entirely different product lines to different states,” Harley says.

Considering the stringency of EPA’s proposed standards, the effective dates are extremely aggressive, according to OPEI. The proposed fuel line requirements for low-permeation fuel lines would start on Jan. 1, 2008 even before the rule is finalized, meaning states would realize benefits even earlier. The complex emission control technologies, including hotter catalyzed mufflers, will have to be designed and integrated by several hundred, newly-regulated, small equipment manufacturers on thousands of different models.

The process will involve extensive research and development, lab and field testing. This is necessary to ensure final lawn and garden products (and their new components and materials) are durable and will meet emission and safety requirements under the demanding environments to which they will be exposed. 

It will also permit the development of supply chains and production capacities to support a national rule. 

“If provided with adequate lead time and needed flexibility, our industry is cautiously optimistic that we can meet the significant technological challenges and infrastructural developments associated with the EPA program,” concludes Harley. 

For more information on OPEI, visit www.opei.org.