Environmental Defense Welcomes EPA's Proposed Standards for Small Gas Engines

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Janea Scott, 213-386-5501 ext 102, jscott@environmentaldefense.org
Meg Little, 202-572-3387, mlittle@environmentaldefense.org

(Washington, DC - April 17, 2007) - Today Environmental Defense welcomed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s overdue proposal to clean up new, small engines and strongly encourages EPA to finalize these standards by the end of the year. Ozone pollution can contribute to reduced lung capacity, lung airway irritation and inflammation, asthma attacks, increased ER visits and admissions and increased mortality. This proposal covers small watercraft, lawn and garden equipment. These small engines, such as lawn mowers and recreational boats, are responsible for about 25% of smog-forming hydrocarbon emissions from mobile sources.

These small gas-powered engines have considerable per-engine emissions and are significant contributors to smog pollution in communities nationwide. In fact, EPA estimates there are over 52 million residential and commercial walk-behind lawn mowers and ride-on lawn, garden, and turf equipment in-use in the United States today, with estimated usage of 3 billion hours per year. On a per engine basis, small gas-powered engines emit more smog-forming pollution than highway cars, for example, a handheld piece of turf equipment can emit as much hydrocarbon as three cars and as much nitrogen oxides as 65 cars. This proposed rule would reduce HC and NOx from lawn and garden equipment by about 35% from the last set of standards and would reduce HC and NOx from recreational boats by about 70%.

“While small in size, these engines are big polluters”, said staff attorney Janea Scott. “More than half of the people in our country are living in areas that don’t meet basic public health criteria for ozone-smog. The summer-time ozone season looming right around the corner highlights how important it is to clean up these engines as quickly as possible.” Ozone pollution can contribute to reduced lung capacity, lung airway irritation and inflammation, asthma attacks, increased ER visits and admissions and increased mortality.

The technology to clean up these engines is readily available and cost-effective nationwide. In fact, California has already adopted rigorous emission standards for these engines. Additionally, four of the top manufacturers of these small engines, including Honda, Kawasaki, Kohler, and Tecumseh, have all voiced public support for adoption of federal standards that match the cleaner California emission standards.

View EPA press release here.