US EPA to reject state’s petitions on RFG waivers

02 June 2005 21:53  [Source: ICIS news]

WASHINGTON (CNI)--The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Thursday it will reject petitions by California, New York and Connecticut to waive the oxygen content requirement for reformulated gasoline (RFG).

 

 EPA assistant administrator Jeff Holmstead said the US Congress has required the use of oxygenates as part of the clean fuels program “and has made it clear that this requirement can only be waived if a state demonstrates that it prevents or interferes with the state's ability to meet national air quality standards.”

 

He added: “California, New York and Connecticut did not make this demonstration."

 

RFG is a cleaner burning gasoline that has been used since 1995 in certain metropolitan areas of the US with the worst ozone air pollution.

 

The Clean Air Act requires RFG to contain 2% oxygen by weight. But the law does not specify which oxygenate must be used and most refiners use either ethanol or methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE).

 

RFG sold in California, New York and Connecticut, however, contains only ethanol because each state has banned the use of MTBE citing concerns over water contamination.

 

The EPA said it agreed with California's claim that an oxygen content waiver would lead to a decrease in certain vehicle emissions that contribute to smog and particulate matter. But the agency concluded that the overall impact on emissions was slight.

 

The Agency said it rejected California's petition because the state “did not demonstrate that the oxygen content requirement prevents or interferes with the state's efforts to achieve clean air.”

 

Neither New York nor Connecticut submitted the technical data necessary for the agency to determine what impact the waiver would have on emissions and air quality, the EPA said.

 

It added: “Without this information, EPA could not evaluate whether the oxygen content requirement prevents or interferes with attainment of the smog or particulate matter standards and therefore must deny the waiver request.”

 

The EPA’s decision was welcomed by the ethanol industry and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), which represents ethanol producers.

 

Said RFA president Bob Dinneen:  “The science is clear: ethanol-blended RFG reduces total smog forming emissions. Given that, the EPA had no choice but to uphold the Clean Air Act RFG provisions.”

By: Glenn Hess
+1 713 525 2653

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly