Fuels Regulatory Streamlining Amendments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY <CFR>40 CFR Part 1090</CFR> <DEPDOC>[EPA-HQ-OAR-2024-0143; FRL-8513-02-OAR]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 2060-AV26</RIN> <SUBJECT>Fuels Regulatory Streamlining Amendments</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Proposed rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> This action proposes revisions, updates, and corrections to EPA's streamlined fuel quality regulations. This action does not propose to change the stringency of the existing fuel quality standards. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> <E T="03">Comments.</E> Comments must be received on or before October 15, 2024. <E T="03">Public hearing:</E> If anyone contacts EPA requesting a public hearing by September 4, 2024, EPA will hold a virtual public hearing on September 12, 2024. Please refer to the <E T="02">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION</E> section for additional information on the public hearing. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> <E T="03">Comments.</E> Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2024-0143, at <E T="03">http://www.regulations.gov.</E> Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from the docket. EPA may publish any comment received to its public docket. Do not submit to EPA's docket at <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov</E> any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. EPA will generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of the primary submission ( <E T="03">i.e.,</E> on the web, cloud, or other file sharing system). Please visit <E T="03">https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets</E> for additional submission methods; the full EPA public comment policy; information about CBI or multimedia submissions; and general guidance on making effective comments. <E T="03">Public hearing.</E> If a virtual public hearing is requested by September 4, 2024, it will be held on September 12, 2024. The hearing will begin at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and end when all parties who wish to speak have had an opportunity to do so. All hearing attendees (including even those who do not intend to provide testimony) should register for the virtual public hearing by September 4, 2024. Information on the status of the hearing and how to register can be found at <E T="03">https://www.epa.gov/diesel-fuel-standards/fuels-regulatory-streamlining.</E> Additional information regarding the hearing appears below under <E T="02">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION</E> . <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Nick Parsons, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Assessment and Standards Division, Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; telephone number: 734-214-4479; email address: <E T="03">parsons.nick@epa.gov.</E> </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Does this action apply to me?</HD> Entities potentially affected by this proposed rule are those involved with the production, distribution, and sale of transportation fuels, including gasoline and diesel fuel. Potentially affected categories include: <GPOTABLE COLS="3" OPTS="L2,tp0,i1" CDEF="xs36,14,r200"> <TTITLE> </TTITLE> <CHED H="1">Category</CHED> <CHED H="1">Examples of potentially affected entities</CHED> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Industry</ENT> <ENT>211130</ENT> <ENT>Natural gas liquids extraction and fractionation.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Industry</ENT> <ENT>221210</ENT> <ENT>Natural gas production and distribution.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Industry</ENT> <ENT>324110</ENT> <ENT>Petroleum refineries (including importers).</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Industry</ENT> <ENT>325110</ENT> <ENT>Butane and pentane manufacturers.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Industry</ENT> <ENT>325193</ENT> <ENT>Ethyl alcohol manufacturing.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Industry</ENT> <ENT>325199</ENT> <ENT>Manufacturers of gasoline additives.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Industry</ENT> <ENT>424710</ENT> <ENT>Petroleum bulk stations and terminals.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Industry</ENT> <ENT>424720</ENT> <ENT>Petroleum and petroleum products wholesalers.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Industry</ENT> <ENT>457110, 457120</ENT> <ENT>Fuel retailers.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Industry</ENT> <ENT>457210</ENT> <ENT>Other fuel dealers.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Industry</ENT> <ENT>486910</ENT> <ENT>Natural gas liquids pipelines, refined petroleum products pipelines.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Industry</ENT> <ENT>493190</ENT> <ENT>Other warehousing and storage—bulk petroleum storage.</ENT> </ROW> <TNOTE> <SU>1</SU>  North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). </TNOTE> </GPOTABLE> This table is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a guide for readers regarding entities potentially affected by this action. This table lists the types of entities that EPA is now aware could potentially be affected by this action. Other types of entities not listed in the table could also be affected. To determine whether your entity would be affected by this action, you should carefully examine the applicability criteria in 40 CFR part 1090. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person listed in the <E T="02">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT</E> section. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Participation in Virtual Public Hearing</HD> Information on the status of the virtual public hearing and how to register can be found at <E T="03">https://www.epa.gov/diesel-fuel-standards/fuels-regulatory-streamlining.</E> The last day to pre-register to speak at the hearing is September 4, 2024. Please note that any updates made to any aspect of the hearing will be posted online at <E T="03">https://www.epa.gov/diesel-fuel-standards/fuels-regulatory-streamlining.</E> Please monitor the website or contact the person listed in the <E T="02">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT</E> section to determine if there are any updates. EPA does not intend to publish a document in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> announcing updates. If a virtual public hearing is held, each commenter will have 3 minutes to provide oral testimony. EPA may ask clarifying questions during the oral presentations, but will not respond to the presentations at that time. Written statements and supporting information submitted during the comment period will be considered with the same weight as oral comments and supporting information presented at the public hearing. If you require the services of a translator or special accommodations such as audio description, please pre-register for the hearing and describe your needs by September 4, 2024. EPA may not be able to arrange accommodations without advance notice. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Preamble Acronyms and Abbreviations</HD> Throughout this document the use of “we,” “us,” or “our” is intended to refer to EPA. We use multiple acronyms and terms in this preamble. While this list may not be exhaustive, to ease the reading of this preamble and for reference purposes, EPA defines the following terms and acronyms here: <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ARV accepted reference value</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">BOB gasoline before oxygenate blending</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DFE denatured fuel ethanol</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">EMTS EPA Moderated Transaction System</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">GTAB gasoline treated as blendstock</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NFSP National Fuel Survey Program</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">OFR Office of the Federal Register</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">PBMS Performance-based Measurement System</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">PCG previously certified gasoline</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">RVP Reid vapor pressure</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">SQC statistical quality control</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">TGP transmix gasoline product</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Contents</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Background and Overview</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Sampling and Testing</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Determining the Volume of Non-Compliant Fuel</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Requirements for In-Line Blending</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Process for Amending In-Line Blending Waivers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Changes to Manual Sampling Provisions</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Homogeneity Samples Used for Batch Certification</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Retaining Samples</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Homogeneity Testing of PCG</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Precision and Accuracy Demonstration</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">I. Excluding SQC Data Points</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">J. Testing of Oxygenates for PCG Under Compliance by Subtraction</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. Other Technical Amendments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Definition of Batch</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Truthful Reporting</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Clarification of RVP Standard in Federal 7.8 psi RVP Areas</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. National Fuel Survey Program Notifications</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Fuel Certification With Domestic Marine Vessels</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Technical Corrections</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review and Executive Order 14094: Modernizing Regulatory Review</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)</FP> ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 321k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━