Chainsaw Repair

snipped from an old (2002) document found here:  http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/html/02511204/02511204.htm

"The EPA essentially restricts manufacturers to production in the model year indicated, but allows for distribution of current inventory, regardless of the year manufactured. Provisions within the regulations prevent manufacturers from “stockpiling” inventory before ceasing production of a product line. Consequently, the consumer will be able to buy new chain saws or pumps certified to a prior year, but in limited quantity.

EPA and CARB have an “average banking and trading” emissions program in which a manufacturer is given “credits” for producing cleaner-than-required engines. Manufacturers can trade these credits for permission to produce engines that do not meet the current regulations. In this way, the EPA continues to realize an overall improvement in air quality while providing incentive to the manufacturer. The current ratio for converting credits is approximately eight clean engines to one out-of-compliance engine. Each year the ratio of clean engines will increase, with fewer out-of-compliance engines sold under the credit program. The banking and trading program, which the EPA and CARB closely monitor, allows the consumer to buy a limited number of out-of-compliance pumps or saws."

if this is still valid, they can still sell the old models?

a list of epa certified engines. 

The published list of EPA emission-certified engines by model year appears on the Web at  http://www.epa.gov/otaq/certdata.htm#smallsiand can be accessed by using Excel or FileMaker Pro software. The database is updated quarterly.

don't have excel or filemaker on this laptop to see if it works.

edit: fixed link