Cummins says it will meet October 2002 Emissions Requirements

Engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. confirmed that it has received a letter from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice reaffirming the government’s intention to enforce the terms of the consent decrees Cummins and four other U.S. engine manufacturers negotiated in 1998.

Over the past few months, several of the other consent decree signers had urged the EPA and the DOJ to consider amending the decrees to provide for a delay in producing lower emissions engines.

Signers to the consent decrees have agreed to produce engines meeting the 2.5 g/bhp-hr standard for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) by October 2002.

In April, Cummins confirmed that it would meet the consent decree deadlines. Cummins says it is the only engine manufacturer so far that has stated publicly its ability to meet these more stringent standards, which will result in an additional 38 percent reduction in NOx emissions from current emissions standards for all on-highway products.

“We have invested considerable resources to meet our commitments, and are confident that our development of emissions control technologies, coupled with our OEM partnerships, will allow us to provide customers with a reliable, durable product that contributes to a cleaner, healthier, safer environment,” said Tim Solso, Cummins Chairman and CEO.

Cummins will meet the standard using cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) technology.

“We extensively researched all technical solutions, and concluded that the only feasible technology for meeting the 2.5 gram (NOx + NMHC) levels is with exhaust gas recirculation. No other option provides the benefits of fuel economy, cost, responsiveness and overall performance, and in our view, no other currently available technology can achieve a 2.5 gram (NOX + NMHC) emissions level in this timeframe,” said John Wall, Cummins Vice President and Chief Technical Officer.