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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Conceptual design issues: Developing a new highway-vehicle emissions-estimation methodology. Rept. for Jun-Aug 91

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5536819

The paper reports on EPA's effort to define the design of an ideal methodology for estimating emissions from highway vehicles. The design concept will be used by EPA to focus research and promote the availability of accurate, cost effective inventory procedures within 5 to 10 years. Ideally, the resulting method would be sensitive to all potential emission control strategies, including vehicle changes, new fuels, inspection and maintenance strategies, and transportation control measures. Emission estimates from the new procedure would also be calibrated to provide representative values across states and be validated with ambient measurements. Emission inventory estimates are used by EPA and states in models to determine the effectiveness of various control strategies for achieving air quality standards. If the inventory estimates are inaccurate and do not correctly reflect the results of planned controls, costly controls could be implemented without improving the environment. Current estimates indicate that highway vehicles emit over 50% of the reactive hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide (CO) in many ozone and CO nonattainment areas. If highway vehicles were actually responsible for twice this amount, as recent studies have suggested, then control plans for some other smaller sources may produce less desirable and less cost effective results.

Research Organization:
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States). Air and Energy Engineering Research Lab.
OSTI ID:
5536819
Report Number(s):
PB-92-139450/XAB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English