Clean Air Act Amendments of 1987

Clean Air Act Amendments of 1987 - Title I: Provisions Relating Primarily to Stationary Sources - Amends the Clean Air Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to classify areas which fail to attain the national ambient air quality standard for ozone by the end of 1987 into three categories: (1) Moderate Health Endangerment Area; (2) Serious Health Endangerment Area; and (3) Severe Health Endangerment Area, based on the percentage by which such area exceeds the national standard.

Requires each State to submit to the Administrator a revised State implementation plan for each classified area, requiring attainment within three years for Moderate areas, five years for Serious areas, and ten years for Severe areas. Requires revised plans to include a specified percentage reduction in emissions for each year before the applicable attainment date. Requires such plans to permit the use of clean fuels as a reasonably available control measure. Directs the Administrator to audit annually such plans to assure adequacy and compliance.

Requires implementation plans for Serious and Severe areas to contain a permit program which covers the construction and operation of certain new or modified emissions units. Requires emission offsets by the time such units enter operation. Requires such plans to contain a motor vehicle inspection and maintenance program to reduce in-use emissions of volatile organic compounds and oxides of nitrogen from motor vehicles, including direct inspection of vehicle emission control system components. Permits an alternative to such program in Serious areas if it will achieve equivalent reductions.

Requires Severe area plans to establish a schedule for an annual increase in the percentage of new motor vehicles registered in the area which are low emission vehicles capable of using low emission fuel. Requires owners or operators of 15 or more new vehicles to own or operate low emission vehicles. Sets emissions standards for such vehicles.

Establishes a per ton fee on emissions from certain stationary sources in severe areas. Requires certain sources to use catalytic control technology for emissions reductions if they burn fuel other than a clean fuel and emit above a certain tonnage of an air pollutant. Permits an alternate emission technology which is at least as effective. Requires hydrocarbon vapor recovery when fueling a motor vehicle with gasoline after 1989.

Prohibits the awarding of highway funds if an area is not in compliance with the applicable implementation plan. Requires emission offsets at a ratio of five to one for new or modified source permit approval for noncomplying areas. Reclassifies noncomplying areas into the next, more stringent category, requiring previously Severe areas to meet the five to one emission offset requirements.

Establishes an ozone transport region comprising coastal States on the east coast between Maine and Virginia, including the District of Columbia. Authorizes the creation of additional regions, as necessary. Directs the Administrator to establish an ozone transport commission for each region. Requires each State within a region to submit to the Administrator a revised implementation plan which requires compliance with emission levels as if the region were classified as a Serious Health Endangerment Area for ozone. Exempts regions within a State that contribute no more than two percent of the ozone concentrations or precursors in Serious or Severe regions. Exempts States that contribute no more than five percent to the ozone problem in Serious or Severe areas. Permits States or subdivisions to petition the Administrator for the inclusion of another State within an ozone transport region. Requires the Administrator to develop criteria for determining transboundary pollution for ozone.

Directs the Administrator to establish standards to reduce evaporative emissions of volatile organic compounds from commercial and consumer solvents, architectural coatings, pesticide applications, traffic coatings, and military specification coatings.

Directs the Administrator to classify areas failing to attain the national ambient air quality standard for carbon monoxide, creating a regulatory scheme parallel to that established for ozone, omitting low emission fuel and ozone transport region provisions. Requires the Administrator to publish a list of the 12 categories of uncontrolled stationary sources making the most significant contribution to the formation of ozone air pollution, including sources emitting ten tons or more per year or volatile organic compounds and/or oxides of nitrogen. Establishes a schedule for such categorization, but requires emitters of such pollutants in the requisite amounts to pay a per ton fee if guidelines for their category are not in place by 1991. Establishes criminal penalties for violations.

Authorizes the Administrator to impose gasoline and diesel fuel sales fees in Severe areas. Requires the use of such fees for grants to States and local governments for the implementation of transportation control measures for ozone and carbon monoxide. Limits grants to 50 percent of costs.

Title II: Provisions Relating Primarily to Mobile Sources - Amends the Clean Air Act to establish carbon monoxide emissions standards for motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines during and after model year 1992. Establishes emissions standards for hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen.

Directs the Administrator to promulgate emissions standards for internal combustion engines used in any vehicle or machine manufactured after 1989. Requires such standards to be proportional to those for motor vehicle engines of comparable horsepower.

Prohibits the sale of leaded gas after 1989. Requires the Administrator to establish a standard for gasoline volatility after 1989.

Requires new light-duty motor vehicles after model year 1990 to be equipped with onboard evaporative emissions control systems.

Permits only ten percent of vehicles in a sample to fail motor vehicle testing in order for such model to retain certification.

Requires each vehicle and engine to comply with the applicable emission standard (current law permits averaging).

Directs the Administrator to add an idle test to the Federal Test Procedure for light-duty vehicles manufactured during or after model year 1990.

Requires the Administrator to take information from State vehicle emission control and inspection programs when making determinations of nonconformity.

Prohibits the sale of components intended to render inoperative vehicle pollution control devices.

Requires the Administrator to take into account the number and gravity of violations when assessing civil penalties.

Title III: General Provisions - Authorizes appropriations for FY 1988 through 1992.