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HDPE tank
Description of Regulatory Concept
We are reopening the comment period for land-based recreational
vehicles to request comment on whether we should finalize standards
that would require low permeability fuel tanks and hoses on off-highway
motorcycles, ATVs, and snowmobiles starting with the 2006 model
year.
The requirements would phase-in beginning for all three types
of recreational vehicle at 50 percent in 2006 and 100 percent
in 2007. This is the same start year as was proposed in the October
5, 2001 NPRM for exhaust emission control for these three types
of recreational
vehicle. We believe cost-effective technologies exist to significantly
reduce permeation emissions. Because all of these vehicles use
high density polyethylene (HDPE) tanks, manufacturers would in
all likelihood have to employ one of the barrier technologies
(e.g., a fluorination or sulfonation treatment) described below
to meet the standards. The use of metal fuel tanks would also
meet the standards, since metal tanks do not experience any permeation
losses. Fuel tanks built with permeation resistant barrier layers
would also be possible, but could likely be more expensive and
employ production practices not used on HDPE tanks in these applications.
We also request comment on promulgating standards that would also
require the use of low permeability fuel hoses on all land-base
recreational vehicles, starting with 50 percent implementation
in the 2006 model year and 100 percent in 2007.
Even though snowmobiles do not usually experience year around
use, as is the case with ATVs, off-highway motorcycles, etc.,
we are including snowmobiles in this request for comment because
it is common practice among snowmobile owners to store their snowmobiles
in the off-season with fuel in the tank (typically half full to
full tank). A fuel stabilizer is typically added to the fuel to
prevent gum, varnish, and rust from occurring in the engine as
a result of the fuel sitting in the fuel tank and fuel system
for an extended period of time, but this does not reduce permeation.
Thus, snowmobiles experience fuel permeation losses just like
off-highway motorcycles and ATVs. We request comment on the fuel
storage practices of snowmobile operators.
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needs. You design it, we build it.
HDPE
tank
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