4. Emission Standards

The planned regulations will require that the vehicle or engine to conform to the applicable standards. These standards will be aligned with applicable EPA rules.

Under the planned regulations, no vehicle or engine can be equipped with a defeat device. In addition, an emission control system shall not release a substance that causes air pollution and that would not have been released if the system were not installed. The emission control system shall not make the vehicle unsafe or endanger persons or property near the engine or machine.

Vehicles and engines with adjustable parameters will have to comply with the applicable standards regardless of the setting of these parameters.

The planned emission standards will be aligned with those of the EPA and the planned regulations will incorporate by reference sections of the applicable parts of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (Table 2). An engine must conform to the emission standards throughout its "useful life" and the useful life period is incorporated by reference from the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations.

Table 2: Standards incorporated by reference from the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations
Reference
(Title and Part)
Section in reference
Exhaust Crankcase Evaporative Useful life
Outboard and personal watercraft 40 CFR 91 104 109 n/a 105
Snowmobile 40 CFR 1051 103 (a) & (b) 115(a) 110 103(c)
Off-highway motorcycle 40 CFR 1051 105 (a) & (b) 115(a) 110 105(c)
ATV and utility vehicle 40 CFR 1051 107 (a) & (b) 115(a) 110 107(c)

Under the planned regulations, a vehicle or engine covered by an EPA certificate of conformity and sold concurrently in Canada and the U.S. will be deemed to conform to the emission standards if this vehicle or engine meets all requirements set out in the EPA certificate of conformity. All other requirements of the planned regulations (such as evidence of conformity, importation documents, notice of defect, etc.) will have to be met.

Under the planned regulations, vehicles or engines expected to have similar emission characteristics throughout their useful life periods can be grouped in an "engine family"15. The criteria to be met to allow groupings into engine families in the planned regulations are aligned with those set out in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations.


12 The provisions regarding emission control system and defeat device will be very similar to section 9 of the Off-Road Small Spark-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations.

13 The provisions regarding adjustable parameters will be very similar to section 12 of the Off-Road Small Spark-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations.

14 This provision will be very similar to section 14 of the Off-Road Small Spark-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations.

15 Following the usage established in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, the expression "engine family" is used equally for a group of engines or a group or vehicles.

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