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PA CONSENSUS AGREEMENT REACHED FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS

Release Date: 5/31/96
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PA CONSENSUS AGREEMENT REACHED FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS

FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1996

CONSENSUS AGREEMENT REACHED FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS FROM LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT

EPA, with the manufacturers of lawn and garden equipment, the small engine industry and state air quality representatives, recently signed a Statement of Principles that establishes a consensus agreement for substantially reducing emissions from handheld gasoline engines (under 25 horsepower) such as leaf blowers, lawn trimmers and edgers, chain saws and shredders. The Statement of Principles will be used as a basis for proposing the Phase 2 emission reduction standards, which would be phased in from 2002 through 2005 and would reduce ozoneforming compounds of hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxides an additional 30 percent from the Phase 1 levels. The program also would include in-use testing to ensure compliance with the standards over the lifetime of the engines. The agreement includes a particulate matter and toxics test program for evaluating levels of the pollutants from handheld engines. Another element in the Statement of Principles would propose a program to allow manufacturers that produce handheld engines below the standards to display a label identifying the engine as reducing more pollution than required. The agreement also looks to the future by requiring EPA to conduct a technology review by 200l to assess the need for more stringent emission reduction standards as early as 2007.

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