EPA Announces Decision for Regulation of Fuel and Fuel Additives: Modification to Octa mix Waiver Regarding TOLADMFA-10A The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing modification of the Texas MethanoPs gasoline-alcohol fuel waiver, also known as OCTAMIX, to allow the use of Baker Hughes corrosion inhibitor, TOLAD MFA-10A. Elements of this Notice The Texas Methanol Corporation received a waiver under CAA section 211(f)(4) for a gasoline-alcohol fuel blend, known as OCTAMIX,1 provided that the resultant fuel is composed of a maximum of 3.7 percent by weight fuel oxygen, a maximum of 5 percent by volume methanol, a minimum of 2.5 percent by volume co-solvents2 and 42.7 milligrams per liter (mg/1) of Petrolite TOLAD MFA-10 corrosion inhibitor3. In the OCTAMIX waiver, the Agency invited other corrosion inhibitor manufac- turers to submit test data to establish, on a case-by-case basis, whether their fuel additive formulations are acceptable as alternatives to TOLAD MFA-10.4 1 OCTAMIX decision, 53 FR 3636 (February 8, 1988). 2 The co-solvents are any one or a mixture of ethanol, propanols, butanols, pentanols, hexanols, heptanols and octanols with the following constraints; the ethanol, propanols and butanols or mixtures thereof must compose a minimum of 60 percent by weight of the co-solvent mixture; a maximum limit of 40 percent by weight of the co-solvents mixture is placed on the pentanols, hexanols, heptanols and octanols; and the heptanols and octanols are limited to 5 percent by weight of the co-solvent mixture. 3 Additional conditions were the final fuel must meet ASTM volatility specifications contained in ASTM D439-85a, as well as phase separation conditions specified in ASTM D-2 Proposal P-176 and Texas Methanol alcohol purity specifications. 4 53 FR at 3637. SEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Transportation and Air Quality EPA-420-F-12-026 June 2012 ------- On January 20, 2012, EPA published a notice in the Federal Register (77 FR 2979) announcing receipt of Baker Hughes's request and inviting comment on it. The comment period closed on February 21, 2012. EPA received comments from four commenters. All commenters were in support of the request. Baker Hughes provided data showing their corrosion inhibitor, TOLAD MFA'IOA passed the NACE corrosion test.5 With this notice, EPA is announcing its decision to modify the OCTAMIX waiver to allow the use of TOLAD MFA'IOA as an alternative corrosion inhibitor to TOLAD MFA-10. Health and Environmental Impacts There will be no adverse health or environmental impact as a result of allowing this alternative corrosion inhibitor, TOLAD MFA-10A, and the clean air benefits of EPA's gasoline motor vehicle fuel programs will continue to be realized, Gasoline Supply Benefits This action may provide additional flexibility to the regulated community by allowing an additional corrosion inhibitor for use in Texas Methanol's gasoline-alcohol fuel, also known as OCTAMIX, For More Information You can access the rule and related documents on EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) Web site at: www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/registrationfuels/notices.htm For more information on this 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.joe@epa.gov NACE Standard TMO172-2001. ------- |