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Volpe Center Air Quality Facility

Projects - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

The Secretary of Transportation delegated the authority to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to set Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for light trucks. This was authorized by the 1973-74 Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which added Title V: Improving Automotive Fuel Efficiency to the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Saving Act (Title 49, Chapter 329, Section 32902(a) of the US code). NHTSA is statutorily required to set CAFE standards at the "maximum feasible level" based on four criteria: technical feasibility, economic practicability, the effect of government motor vehicle standards on fuel economy and the need to conserve energy. With the Congressional freeze on CAFE standards being lifted in December 2001, NHTSA is proposing new CAFE standards for light trucks beginning in Model Year 2005. To satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), NHTSA, with the assistance of the John A Volpe National Transportation System Center, drafted this Environmental Assessment of a variety of alternatives, assessing the potential consequences of each in the affected environment, and calling out the preferred alternative for achieving its goal.

As could be expected, one of the large components to this work was the air quality evaluation. This evaluation performed by Volpe included much more than the exhaust emission analysis for the criteria pollutants (carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter). Also considered were the impacts of refining operations, the possibility of greater vehicle miles driven if fuel economy was improved, and the increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The Volpe Air Quality Facility provided technical reviews and assistance for this project which included verification of methodologies used, evaluation of assumptions, and concurrence with regulatory requirements. Future work will include performing a detailed emission inventory for the project.

Sponsor: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)