(a)
(1) If, after a review of the manufacturer's submitted Part I application, information obtained from any inspection, such other information as the Administrator may require, and any other pertinent data or information, the Administrator determines that the application is complete and that all vehicles within a test group as described in the application meet the requirements of this part and the Clean Air Act, the Administrator shall issue a certificate of conformity.
(2) If, after review of the manufacturer's application, request for certification, information obtained from any inspection, such other information as the Administrator may require, and any other pertinent data or information, the Administrator determines that the application is not complete or the vehicles within a test group as described in the application, do not meet applicable requirements or standards of the Act or of this part, the Administrator may deny the issuance of, suspend, or revoke a previously issued certificate of conformity. The Administrator will notify the manufacturer in writing, setting forth the basis for the determination. The manufacturer may request a hearing on the Administrator's determination.
(b) A certificate of conformity will be issued by the Administrator for a period not to exceed one model year and upon such terms as deemed necessary or appropriate to assure that any new motor vehicle covered by the certificate will meet the requirements of the Act and of this part.
(c) All certificates are conditional upon the following conditions being met:
(1) The manufacturer must supply all required information according to the provisions of §§ 86.1843-01 and 86.1844-01.
(2) The manufacturer must comply with all certification and in-use emission standards contained in subparts S and H of this part both during and after model year production.
(3) The manufacturer must comply with all implementation schedules sales percentages as required in § 86.1810 or elsewhere in this part. Failure to meet a required implementation schedule sales percentage will be considered to be a failure to satisfy a condition upon which the certificate was issued and any vehicles or trucks sold in violation of the implementation schedule shall not be covered by the certificate.
(4) For incomplete light-duty trucks and incomplete heavy-duty vehicles, a certificate covers only those new motor vehicles which, when completed by having the primary load-carrying device or container attached, conform to the maximum curb weight and frontal area limitations described in the application for certification as required in § 86.1844-01.
(5) The manufacturer must meet the in-use testing and reporting requirements contained in §§ 86.1845-01, 86.1846-01, and 86.1847-01, as applicable. Failure to meet the in-use testing or reporting requirements shall be considered a failure to satisfy a condition upon which the certificate was issued. A vehicle or truck will be considered to be covered by the certificate only if the manufacturer fulfills this condition upon which the certificate was issued.
(6) Vehicles are covered by a certificate of conformity only if they are in all material respects as described in the manufacturer's application for certification (Part I and Part II).
(7) For Tier 2 and interim non-Tier 2 vehicles, all certificates of conformity issued are conditional upon compliance with all provisions of §§ 86.1811-04, 86.1860-04, 86.1861-04 and 86.1862-04 both during and after model year production.
(i) Failure to meet the fleet average NOX requirements of 0.07g/mi, 0.30 g/mi or 0.20 g/mi, as applicable, will be considered to be a failure to satisfy the terms and conditions upon which the certificate(s) was (were) issued and the vehicles sold in violation of the fleet average NOX standard will not be covered by the certificate(s).
(ii) Failure to comply fully with the prohibition against selling credits that it has not generated or that are not available, as specified in § 86.1861-04, will be considered to be a failure to satisfy the terms and conditions upon which the certificate(s) was (were) issued and the vehicles sold in violation of this prohibition will not be covered by the certificate(s).
(iii) Failure to comply fully with the phase-in requirements of § 86.1811-04, will be considered to be a failure to satisfy the terms and conditions upon which the certificate(s) was (were) issued and the vehicles sold which do not comply with Tier 2 or interim non-Tier 2 requirements, up to the number needed to comply, will not be covered by the certificate(s).
(iv) For paragraphs (c)(7)(i) through (iii) of this section:
(A) The manufacturer must bear the burden of establishing to the satisfaction of the Administrator that the terms and conditions upon which the certificate(s) was (were) issued were satisfied.
(B) For recall and warranty purposes, vehicles not covered by a certificate of conformity will continue to be held to the standards stated or referenced in the certificate that otherwise would have applied to the vehicles.
(d) One certificate will be issued for each test group and evaporative/refueling family combination. For diesel fueled vehicles, one certificate will be issued for each test group. A certificate of conformity is deemed to cover the vehicles named in such certificate and produced during the model year.
(e) A manufacturer of new light-duty vehicles, light-duty trucks, and complete heavy-duty vehicles must obtain a certificate of conformity covering such vehicles from the Administrator prior to selling, offering for sale, introducing into commerce, delivering for introduction into commerce, or importing into the United States the new vehicle. Vehicles produced prior to the effective date of a certificate of conformity may also be covered by the certificate, once it is effective, if the following conditions are met:
(1) The vehicles conform in all respects to the vehicles described in the application for the certificate of conformity.
(2) The vehicles are not sold, offered for sale, introduced into commerce, or delivered for introduction into commerce prior to the effective date of the certificate of conformity.
(3) EPA is notified prior to the beginning of production when such production will start, and EPA is provided a full opportunity to inspect and/or test the vehicles during and after their production. EPA must have the opportunity to conduct SEA production line testing as if the vehicles had been produced after the effective date of the certificate.
(f) Vehicles imported by an original equipment manufacturer after December 31 of the calendar year for which the model year is named are still covered by the certificate of conformity as long as the production of the vehicle was completed before December 31 of that year.
(g) For test groups required to have an emission control diagnostic system, certification will not be granted if, for any emission data vehicle or other test vehicle approved by the Administrator in consultation with the manufacturer, the malfunction indicator light does not illuminate under any of the circumstances described in § 86.1806-01(k)(1) through (6).
(h) Vehicles equipped with aftertreatment technologies such as catalysts, otherwise covered by a certificate, which are driven outside the United States, Canada, and Mexico will be presumed to have been operated on leaded gasoline resulting in deactivation of such components as catalysts and oxygen sensors. If these vehicles are imported or offered for importation without retrofit of the catalyst or other aftertreatment technology, they will be considered not to be within the coverage of the certificate unless included in a catalyst or other aftertreatment technology control program operated by a manufacturer or a United States Government agency and approved by the Administrator.
(i) For all light-duty vehicles and light light-duty trucks certified to NLEV standards under §§ 86.1710 through 86.1712, the following provisions apply:
(1) All certificates issued are conditional upon manufacturer compliance with all provisions of §§ 86.1710 through 86.1712 both during and after model year production.
(2) Failure to meet the requirements of § 86.1710(a) through (d) will be considered to be a failure to satisfy the conditions upon which the certificate(s) was issued and the vehicles sold in violation of the fleet average NMOG standard shall not be covered by the certificate.
(3) Failure to comply fully with the prohibition against a manufacturer selling credits that it has not generated or are not available, as specified in § 86.1710(e), will be considered to be a failure to satisfy the conditions upon which the certificate(s) was issued and the vehicles sold in violation of this prohibition shall not be covered by the certificate.
(4) Failure to comply fully with the prohibition against offering for sale Tier 1 vehicles and TLEVs in the Northeast Trading Region, as defined in § 86.1702, after model year 2000 if vehicles with the same test groups are not certified and offered for sale in California in the same model year, as specified in § 86.1711(a), will be considered to be a failure to satisfy the conditions upon which the certificate(s) was issued and the vehicles sold in violation of this prohibition shall not be covered by the certificate.
(5)
(i) The Administrator will issue a National LEV certificate of conformity for 2000 model year vehicles or engines certified to comply with the California TLEV emission standards.
(ii) This certificate of conformity shall be granted after the Administrator has received and reviewed the California Executive Order a manufacturer has received for the same vehicles or engines.
(iii) Vehicles or engines receiving a certificate of conformity under the provisions in this paragraph can only be sold in the states included in the NTR, as defined in § 86.1702, and those states where the sale of California-certified vehicles is otherwise authorized.
(6) The manufacturer shall bear the burden of establishing to the satisfaction of the Administrator that the conditions upon which the certificate was issued were satisfied.
(7) For recall and warranty purposes, vehicles not covered by a certificate because of a violation of these conditions of the certificate will continue to be held to the standards stated in the certificate that would have otherwise applied to the vehicles.
[64 FR 23925, May 4, 1999, as amended at 65 FR 6866, Feb. 10, 2000; 65 FR 59977, Oct. 6, 2000]