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Air Pollution: New Approach Needed to Resolve Safety Issue for Vapor Recovery Systems

RCED-91-171 Published: Jun 28, 1991. Publicly Released: Aug 07, 1991.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO determined Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) actions to resolve safety issues associated with vehicle-based (onboard) vapor recovery systems.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator, EPA, should go forward with the onboard regulation by November 1991, as required by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, unless EPA determines that onboard systems pose an unreasonable risk to public safety.
Closed – Not Implemented
EPA determined that onboard systems pose a safety risk, and decided they should not be required.
Department of Transportation The Administrator, EPA, and the Secretary of Transportation should direct the Administrator, NHTSA, to develop a joint approach, or action plan, to perform a safety evaluation of manufacturers' onboard systems to identify and correct any safety defects or flaws well in advance of the 1996 model year so that an orderly phase-in occurs.
Closed – Not Implemented
EPA determined that onboard systems pose a safety risk, and decided that they should not be required.
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator, EPA, and the Secretary of Transportation should direct the Administrator, NHTSA, to develop a joint approach, or action plan, to perform a safety evaluation of manufacturers' onboard systems to identify and correct any safety defects or flaws well in advance of the 1996 model year so that an orderly phase-in occurs.
Closed – Not Implemented
EPA has taken no action. EPA determined that onboard systems pose a safety risk and decided that they should not be required.
Federal Highway Traffic Safety Administration EPA and NHTSA should work with the automobile industry during the 4 years between promulgation of the regulation and the phase-in of onboard systems called for by model year 1996. At a minimum, this plan should identify the roles and responsibilities of each agency, the safety tests and analysis to be performed, what the analysis will accomplish, and the time frames for performing the analysis.
Closed – Not Implemented
EPA determined that onboard systems pose a safety risk, and decided they should not be required.
Environmental Protection Agency EPA and NHTSA should work with the automobile industry during the 4 years between promulgation of the regulation and the phase-in of onboard systems called for by model year 1996. At a minimum, this plan should identify the roles and responsibilities of each agency, the safety tests and analysis to be performed, what the analysis will accomplish, and the time frames for performing the analysis.
Closed – Not Implemented
EPA has taken no action. EPA determined that onboard systems pose a safety risk and decided they should not be required.

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Air pollutionAutomobile industryEnvironmental legislationEnvironmental monitoringFuel researchInteragency relationsMotor vehicle pollutionMotor vehicle safetyPollutionSafety standards