About the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL)
What We Do
The National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL), located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is an integral part of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ). NVFEL is a state of the art facility that provides emission testing services for motor vehicle, heavy-duty engine, and nonroad engine programs in support of rulemakings, enforcement actions, and test procedures development. Testing activities include:
- certifying that vehicles and engines meet federal emissions and fuel economy standards
- testing engines for in-use compliance
- analyzing fuels, fuel additives, and exhaust compounds.
NVFEL develops, designs, and fabricates new and cost-effective technologies and components to reduce vehicle or engine emissions and increase fuel efficiency. NVFEL holds over 60 patents on advanced technologies.
Staff at NVFEL are highly trained professionals with backgrounds in engineering, chemistry, toxicology, law, and economics. OTAQ staff is divided between EPA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., and NVFEL in Ann Arbor, MI. The majority of OTAQ staff work at NVFEL, and collaborate with Headquarters staff on shared programs and projects. Those programs and projects include:
- Overview of programs, issues, and consumer information
- Mobile source pollution and related health effects
- Green Vehicle Guide
- On-road vehicles and engines:
- Nonroad engines, equipment, and vehicles:
- Clean Diesel Program, including
- SmartWay
- Fuels programs and regulations:
- State and Local Transportation Resources, including:
- Transportation conformity
- Vehicle emissions inspection & maintenance programs
- Modeling Emissions, including:
- Testing and Technology Development
Organization
Sarah Dunham, Director
- Phone: 202-564-1682
NVFEL includes:
- Assessment and Standards Division
- Compliance Division
- Testing and Advanced Technology Division
- Transportation and Climate Division
Assessment and Standards Division (ASD)
Director: Bill Charmley
- Phone: 734-214-4454
What We Do: The Assessment and Standards Division identifies and develops future emission control strategies (such as new vehicle, engine, and fuel quality standards) and national policy on mobile source emission control. The division develops regulations and policies, determines the contribution of mobile sources to pollutant emission inventories, and assesses the feasibility, cost, and in-use effectiveness of emission control technologies.
Programs and projects managed by ASD
- Modeling and Inventories
- Regulations for onroad vehicles and engines
- Regulations for nonroad vehicles and engines
Compliance Division (CD)
Director: Byron Bunker
- Phone: 734-214-4155
What We Do: The Compliance Division (CD) implements national air pollution control programs by managing the certification, in-use compliance, and recall programs for U.S.light-duty vehicles, and highway and nonroad engines. The division certifies that these vehicles and engines meet emission standards prior to being sold, and ensures that standards continue to be met throughout the vehicle or engine's life. In addition, CD manages all national clean fuel programs, including the renewable fuel standards, ultra-low sulfur diesel, and reformulated gasoline programs.
Programs and projects managed by CD
- Certification and compliance for onroad vehicles and engines
- Certification and compliance for nonroad vehicles and engines
- Fuels registration, reporting, and compliance
- Importing Vehicles and Engines into the U.S.
- Recalls of vehicles and engines
Testing and Advanced Technology Division (TATD)
Director: David Haugen
- Phone: 734-214-4272
What We Do: The Testing and Advanced Technology Division (TATD) provides a full range of emission testing services for motor vehicles and trucks, highway and nonroad engines, and fuels used in the transportation market. In collaboration with other divisions, TATD’s testing staff design and conduct certification, fuel economy, in-use compliance, fuels and fuel additives analysis, exhaust compounds analysis, and special testing programs to support rulemakings, compliance programs, enforcement actions, and test procedures and methods development.
Programs and projects managed by TATD
Transportation and Climate Division (TCD)
Acting Director: Karl Simon
- Phone: 202-343-9626
What We Do: The Transportation and Climate Division (TCD) is responsible for coordinating OTAQ’s strategic climate programs and implementing programs required by the Clean Air Act to be included in State Implementation Plans to address the impact of in-use vehicles and transportation systems on air quality. These responsibilities include developing testing protocols, evaluating new technologies, and performing technical and economic analyses of vehicle and engine technologies to ascertain their capabilities to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy. The division also develops carbon accounting tools and methodologies that assess and track greenhouse and criteria emissions from goods movement to enable shippers and carriers to improve supply chain performance. In addition, TCD develops and oversees grant funding for vehicle and engine emission reduction programs and supports transportation initiatives aimed at reducing vehicle miles travelled.