(a) Participation in the averaging, banking and trading program is voluntary. A manufacturer or remanufacturer may choose to involve some or all of its families in any or all aspects of the program.

(b) An engine family is eligible to participate in the certification averaging, banking, and trading program for NOX and PM emissions if it is subject to regulation under this part with certain exceptions specified in paragraph (c) of this section. No averaging, banking and trading program is available for meeting the HC, CO, or smoke emission standards of this part.

(c) Locomotives and locomotive engines may not participate in the certification averaging, banking, and trading program if they are exported. Only locomotive and locomotive engines certified under this part are eligible for inclusion in this certification averaging, banking, and trading program.

(d) Averaging involves the generation of credits by a manufacturer or remanufacturer for use by that same manufacturer or remanufacturer in the same calendar year. A manufacturer or remanufacturer may use averaging during certification to offset an emission exceedance of an engine family caused by an FEL above the applicable emission standard, subject to the provisions of this subpart.

(e) Banking involves the generation of credits by a manufacturer or remanufacturer in a given calendar year for use in a subsequent model year. A manufacturer or remanufacturer may bank actual credits only after the end of the calendar year and after EPA has reviewed the manufacturer's or remanufacturer's end-of-year reports. During the calendar year and before submittal of the end-of-year report, credits originally designated in the certification process for banking will be considered reserved and may be redesignated for trading or averaging in the end-of-year report. Credits declared for banking from the previous calendar year that have not been reviewed by EPA may be used in averaging or trading transactions. However, such credits may be revoked at a later time following EPA review of the end-of-year report or any subsequent audit actions.

(f) Trading involves the sale of banked credits for use in certification of new locomotives and new locomotive engines under this part. Only banked credits may be traded; reserved credits may not be traded.

(g) Credit transfer involves the conveying of control over credits, as defined in §92.302. Transferred credits can be used in averaging or in subsequent transfers. Transferred credits may also be reserved for later banking. Transferred credits may not be traded unless they have been previously banked.