PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The federal Environmental Protection Agency is taking steps to clamp down on emissions from off-highway motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and may set new, stricter standards for streetbikes, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports.

On November 17, EPA Administrator Carol Browner signed an official document declaring that off-road motorcycles, ATVs, and snowmobiles cause air pollution. That declaration is the first step in a process that will lead to proposed emission standards for those vehicles. Currently those classes of vehicles don't need to meet any federal emissions standards.

Besides setting out to propose rules governing emissions from new off-highway vehicles, the EPA said it will seek comment "on possible emission reductions from highway motorcycles as part of this rulemaking." The EPA indicated it will take a close look at California's strict emissions standards for streetbikes as a possible model for national standards.

The EPA is seeking comment in a variety of areas including:

• Technologies that may be available to reduce emissions, and the cost of those technologies
• The timing and level of new emission standards
• Test procedures for measuring emissions from vehicles and engines
• Compliance programs, including production-line and in-use testing by manufacturers.

The EPA directs those interested in commenting to check the Federal Register notice, which is available from the EPA Air and Radiation Docket by calling (202) 260-7548 (refer to Docket A-2000-01). Comments also may be made by e-mail to: nranprm@epa.gov.

Also, you can see the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and related documents on the EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality web site at www.epa.gov/otaq.

The EPA said there will be further opportunities to comment later when it publishes a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register. More information may be obtained by contacting Margaret Borushko at: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; or by e-mailing borushko.margaret@epa.gov. Telephone: (734) 214-4334.