Office of Transportation EPA420-F-06-023
and Air Quality March 2006
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Regulatory
Announcement
Direct Final Rule Updates Gasoline
and Diesel Fuel Test Methods
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a direct
final rule with a corresponding proposed rule that updates our motor
vehicle fuels regulations on several test method issues. This rule makes
certain fuel testing requirements more up-to-date by having refiners and
laboratories use the most current versions of certain American Society for
Testing and Materials (ASTM) Committee D.02 analytical test methods.
Together, these rules will allow improvements in the test method
procedure to ensure better operation and provide additional flexibility to
the regulated community.
Elements of This Rulemaking
This rulemaking makes the following changes:
The designated test method for sulfur in butane is being changed from
ASTM D 3246 to ASTM D 6667, which is more readily available,
more reliable, and a better test method than the current designated test
method. ASTM D 3246 would continue to be allowed as an alternative
test method for sulfur in butane provided its results are correlated to
the new sulfur in butane designated test method.
• The September 1, 2004, sunset provision for two gasoline alternative
test methods, ASTM D 1319 and ASTM D 4815, is removed. (Since
the sunset provision went into effect, the two alternative test methods
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have been allowed by enforcement
discretion.) ASTM D 1319 is an al-
ternative test method for aromatics
in gasoline, and ASTM D 4815 is an
alternative test method for oxygenates
in gasoline. Use of these alternative test
methods would continue to be allowed
until EPA promulgates a performance-
based test method (PBTM) approach,
which would establish criteria for the
qualification of alternative test meth-
ods. At that time , these two alternative
test methods may qualify as alternative
test methods under the PBTM's crite-
ria.
ASTM D 6428 (an ASTM D.I6 Com-
mittee test method developed primar-
ily for measuring the sulfur content of
simpler chemical matrices) is being
replaced with the essentially identical
D 6920 (an ASTM D.02 Committee
test method). ASTM's D.02 Committee
recently determined the precision of D
6920 with respect to gasoline and die-
sel fuel. ASTM D 6428 is currently our
designated test method for sulfur at the
15 ppm level in diesel fuel, and is also
an alternative test method for sulfur
in gasoline and diesel fuel at the 500
ppm sulfur level. ASTM D 6920 differs
from D 6428 only in that its precision
estimates apply to gasoline and diesel
fuel matrices, making the method more
practically applicable to our fuels regu-
latory programs.
An additional alternative test method
for sulfur in gasoline, ASTM: D 7039,
is being provided, which will provide
more flexibility to the regulated indus-
try.
The references in our regulations to
ASTM: analytical test methods D 2622,
D3120, D5453, D 1319, and D 4815
are being updated to their most recent
ASTM versions. These test methods are
referenced in EPA regulations for mea-
suring chemical compositions in refor-
mulated gasoline (RFG), conventional
gasoline (CG), and motor vehicle diesel
fuel. These updates allow for improve-
ments in the test methods' procedures
that will ensure better operation and
practicality of use of the test methods
for the regulated community. These
updates are listed below along with the
fuel parameters to which they apply and
the regulatory status of the methods.
- ASTM D 2622-03 - sulfur in
gasoline (designated test
method)
- ASTM: D 5453-03a - sulfur in
gasoline (alternative test
method*)
• ASTM D 3120-03a - sulfur in
gasoline (alternative test
method*)
• ASTM D 4815-03 - oxygenate
content in gasoline (alternative
test method*)
- ASTM D 1319-03 - olefins in
gasoline (designated test meth-
od) & aromatics in gasoline (al-
ternative test method*) & diesel
(designated test method)
* - alternative test methods
results must be correlated to
fuel parameter 's corresponding
designated test method.
A new section is being added to the
motor vehicle fuels regulations at 40
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CFR 80.9. This new section references
the rounding method in ASTM stan-
dard guidance E 29-02sl. The rounding
method in this standard practice is the
procedure to follow for rounding a test
result when determining compliance
with EPA's motor vehicle fuels stan-
dards listed at 40 CFR 80.
Health and Environmental
Impacts
The clean air benefits of EPA's gasoline
and diesel motor vehicle fuel programs
will continue to be realized. There will be
no adverse health or environmental impact
as a result of these test method changes or
updates.
For Further Information
You can access documents on these rulemak-
ings on EPA's Office of Transportation and
Air Quality Web site at:
www. epa. gov/otaq/rfg_regs. htm
For further information about the direct final
rule or proposed rule, please contact Joe
Sopata at:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Transportation and
Air Quality (6406J)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20460
(202)343-9034
E-mail: sopata.ioe@epa.gov
Gasoline Supply Benefits
This direct final rule with its corresponding
proposed rule will allow improvements in
the test method procedure to ensure better
operation and provide additional flexibility
to the regulated community.
These test method changes will be effective
sixty days after publication of the final rule
in the Federal Register. We are confident
that sixty days is sufficient lead time for in-
dustry to become familiar with and imple-
ment these ASTM test method changes or
ASTM test method updates. The proposed
rule also solicits comments on these chang-
es. However, we do not anticipate any
adverse comments and believe the industry
will be very supportive of these changes in
the regulations.
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