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Lawn and Garden (Small Gasoline) Equipment

In April 2007, EPA proposed a new emission control program that would reduce hydrobcarbon emissions from small spark-ignition engines by about 35 percent.  The new exhaust emissions standards would begin in 2011 or 2012, depending on the size of the engine.  The proposal also includes new standards to reduce evaporative emissions from these fuel systems.

This page provides consumer information, regulations, guidance, and compliance fee and certification data for ten categories of nonroad spark-ignition engines, ranging from lawn and garden equipment through airport service equipment. For the homeowner, there is information about maintaining a yard and lawn, while minimizing air pollution from spark-ignition engines. For additional information about our emission standards, see our Fact Sheet: Proposed Emission Standards for New Nonroad Spark-ignition Engines, Equipment, and Vessels (Also available as a PDF file, 4 pp, 98K, EPA420-F-07-032).

• Consumer Information
• Regulations and Guidance
• Related Links

For further information or assistance regarding this page, please contact EPA's Assessment and Standards Division voicemail at: (734) 214-4636 or email: ASDinfo@epa.gov.

NOTE: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, available as a free download, to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Acrobat Reader.

Consumer Information

• Information on Imports of Vehicles, Engines and Equipment
• Small SI Engine Emission Standards: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions from Dealers and Distributors (PDF) (2 pp, 58K, EPA420-F-98-025, August 1998)
• Your Yard and Clean Air (PDF) (2 pp, 16K, EPA420-F-94-002, September 1996)
• Use of Reformulated Gasoline in Nonroad Engines (EPA 420-F-95-007, April 1995)
• Composting Yard Trimmings and Municipal Solid Waste (PDF) (151 pp, 6MB, EPA530-R-94-003, May 1994)
• Collecting Used Oil for Recycling/Reuse: Tips for Consumers Who Change Their Own Oil (PDF) (8 pp, 220K, EPA 530-F-94-008, March 1994)

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Regulations and Guidance

• Proposed Phase 3 Emission Standards (published May 18, 2007)
  • Fact Sheet: Proposed Emission Standards for New Nonroad Spark-ignition Engines, Equipment, and Vessels (Also available as a PDF file, 4 pp, 85K, EPA420-F-07-032)
  • Regulation (Entire document PDF) (297 pp, 4M) or:
    • Pages 28097-28146 (Also available as a PDF file, 372K)
    • Pages 28147-28196 (Also available as a PDF file, 469K)
    • Pages 28197-28246 (Also available as a PDF file, 799K)
    • Pages 28247-28296 (Also available as a PDF file, 882K)
    • Pages 28297-28346 (Also available as a PDF file, 874K)
    • Pages 28347-28393 (Also available as a PDF file, 871K)
  • Redline version highlighting proposed changes for 40CFR parts 1065 (PDF) (83 pp, 1.3MB), and 1068 (PDF) (48 pp, 628K)
  • Draft Regulatory Impact Analysis (PDF) (709 pp, 6.3MB, EPA420-D-07-004) Instead of downloading the entire document, you can access the individual chapters of the Draft Regulatory Impact Analysis.
  • Peer review report: Estimated cost for Phase 3 standards (60 pp, 3.2MB)
  • Supporting Documentation: Information related to the development of this proposal can be found on the electronic docket at www.regulations.gov. NOTE: To access the docket, select Advanced Search, then Docket Search, and type OAR-2004-0008 as the Docket ID.
  • Public Participation Opportunities:
    • EPA welcomes your comments on this rule. Comments will be accepted until August 3, 2007. All comments should be identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0008 and submitted by one of the following methods: (1) Internet: www.regulations.gov (2) E-mail: A-and-R-Docket@epa.gov (3) Mail: Environmental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center (6102T), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460 4) Hand Delivery: EPA West building, EPA Docket Center (Room 3340), 1301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC.
• EPA Safety Study
  • Fact Sheet: Program Update: EPA Technical Study on the Safety of Emission Controls for Nonroad Spark-Ignition Engine Below 50 Horsepower (Also available as a PDF File, 6 pp, 602K, EPA420-F-06-029, March 2006)
  • EPA Technical Study on the Safety of Emission Controls for Nonroad Spark-Ignition Engines < 50 Horsepower
  • Entire Document (PDF) (zip file of a PDF, 9.7MB, EPA420-R-06-006, March 2006) NOTE: Since the file is so large, it may take a long time to download even with a high-speed connection. Large downloads work best when you are not attempting to run other applications on your computer and when traffic on your network is low. (Free zip software is available at http://www.download.com )
  • Report and Appendices A and B (PDF) (170 pp, 6.7MB)
  • Appendix C (PDF) (152 pp, 3.8MB)
  • Peer reviews of EPA Safety Study, with responses (PDF) (44 pp, 255K) Note: Size will increase with special features.
• Proposed Emission Standards for Stationary Spark-ignition Engines (published June 12, 2006)
  • Federal Register Notice (also available as a PDF file, 53 pp, 316K) [see 71 FR 33804]
  • Fact Sheet
• Final 2005 Technical Amendments – Procedures for Testing Highway and Nonroad Engines and Omnibus Technical Amendments (published July 13, 2005)
  • Fact Sheet: Regulatory Announcement: Changed Test Procedures for Nonroad Engines and Heavy-Duty Highway Engines (also available as a PDF file, 4 pp, 134K, EPA420-F-05-036, July 2005)
  • Federal Register Notice:
    Part 1, pp 40419-40468 (Also available as a PDF file, 949K)
    Part 2, pp 40469-40518 (Also available as a PDF file, 938K)
    Part 3, pp 40519-40568 (Also available as a PDF file, 6.71MB)
    Part 4, pp 40569-40612 (Also available as a PDF file, 1.8MB)
  • Technical Support Document and Summary & Analysis of Comments (PDF) (115 pp, 1.7MB, EPA420-R-05-008, June 2005)
  • See Proposed Technical Ammendments for the proposed rule, fact sheet, and technical support documents (published September 10, 2004)
• Final 2004 Amendments to the Phase 2 Requirements for Handheld Engines (published January 12, 2004) (also available as a PDF file, 13 pp, 197K)
• Final 2002 Technical Amendments to 40 CFR part 90
  • Federal Register Notice (published November 8, 2002) (also available as a PDF file, 208 pp, 1.1MB)
• Final Rule - Phase 2 Emission Standards for Handheld Engines (published April 25, 2000)
  • Fact Sheets
    • Final Phase 2 Standards for Small Spark-Ignition Handheld Engines (also available as a PDF file, 6 pp, 23K, EPA420-F-00-007, March 2000)
    • Minor Amendments to Emission Requirements Applicable to Small Nonroad Spark-Ignition Engines and Marine Spark-Ignition Engines (also available as a PDF file, 6 pp, 17K, EPA420-F-00-008, March 2000)
  • Federal Register Notice (PDF) (48 pp, 415K) or TEXT
  • Final Regulatory Impact Analysis (PDF) (163 pp, 872K, EPA420-R-00-004)
    • Appendix B 161K Excel or 54.7K Lotus 1-2-3
    • Appendix C 437K Excel or 66.4K Lotus 1-2-3
    • Appendix D 19.5K Excel or 14.1K Lotus 1-2-3
    • Appendix E 209K Lotus 1-2-3208K Lotus 1-2-3
    • Appendix F 37K Excel or 17.2K Lotus 1-2-3
  • Summary and Analysis of Comments (PDF) (73 pp, 229K, EPA420-R00-005, March 2000)
  • See Proposed Emission Standards for proposed rules, fact sheets, and related documents
• Final Rule - Phase 2 Emission Standards for Nonhandheld Engines (published March 30, 1999)
  • Federal Register Notice (also available as a PDF file, 49 pp, 405K)
• Fact Sheet (PDF) (5 pp, 22K, EPA420-F-99-008, March 1999)
• Summary and Analysis (PDF) (317K)
• Regulatory Impact Analysis (PDF) (469K)
• Regulatory Impact Analysis Appendices
  • Appendix C (PDF) (7K) or 72K Lotus 1-2-3
  • Appendix E (PDF) (7K) or 243K Lotus 1-2-3
  • Appendix F (PDF) (8K) or 32K Lotus 1-2-3
• Docket Index (PDF) (88K)  
• See Proposed Emission Standards for proposed rules, fact sheets, and related documents
• Public Workshop on Phase 2 Nonroad Small SI Engines - May 26, 1999
  • Presentation Material (142K, PowerPoint)
  • Dear Manufacturer Letter
• Final 1997 amendments related to Replacement Engines Final Rule Federal Register Notice (published August 7, 1997)
• Final 1996 Amendment to Phase 1 Carbon Monoxide Standard for Nonhandheld Engines (published November 13, 1996)
  • Link to Final Rule November, 13, 1996
  • June 1996 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ZIP WP51) (17K)
  • Fact Sheet: (PDF) (2 pp, 10K, EPA420-F-96-005, June 1996) or 4K TXT
  • Summary
• Final 1996 Amendments related to reporting requirements
• May 8, 1996 Revised Reporting Requirements, Nonroad small spark ignition & large compression ignition engines
  • Direct Final Rule
  • Proposed Rule
• July 3, 1995 Phase 1 Small Engine Final Rule Phase 1 Emission Standards
• Small SI Engine Manufacturers Guidance Document (ZIP PDF) (226K)
• November 1991 - Nonroad Engine and Vehicle Emission Study Report (Publication no. EPA-21A-2001 or EPA460/3-91-002).
  • Body of Report (PDF) (141 pp, 1.8MB)
  • Appendices (PDF) (415 pp, 7.7MB)
  This "nonroad study" quantifies the contribution of nonroad sources to air pollution, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM). The study covers 10 equipment categories, including: lawn and garden equipment, farm and construction equipment, recreational vehicles, marine vessels, and airport service equipment.
  Paper copies of this study are available from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) - Publication #PB-92-126960.

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Related Links:

• Green Landscaping with Native Plants, EPA Region 5
• Healthy Lawn, Healthy Environment: Caring for Your Lawn in an Environmental Friendly Way (EPA700-K-92-005, June 1992). This small EPA brochure gives tips on working with nature to grow a lawn that is healthy while minimizing the use of pesticides.

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