EPA Proposes to Approve Request
from Louisiana to Relax the Federal
Summer Gasoline Volatility Standard
in Several Parishes
r I 4ie U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a
JL notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to relax the federal Reid
Vapor Pressure (RVP) standard applicable to gasoline sold in the 11
Louisiana parishes of Beauregard, Calcasieu, Jefferson, Lafayette,
Lafourche, Orleans, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James,
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Background
In 1987, EPA determined that gasoline nationwide had become increasingly volatile, causing an
increase in evaporative emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles and equipment. Evaporative
emissions from gasoline, referred to as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are precursors to
the formation of tropospheric ozone and contribute to the nation's ground-level ozone problem.
Ground-level ozone causes health problems, including damaged lung tissue, reduced lung func-
tion, and lung sensitization to other pollutants.
The most common measure of fuel volatility is RVP. To provide for cleaner air and greater
public health protection, EPA enforces maximum limits on the RVP of gasoline sold during
the summer ozone season which runs from June 1 to September 15 of each year. Specifically,
EPA's regulations at 40 CFR 80.27(a)(2) establish maximum RVP standards of 9.0 psi or 7.8 psi
depending on the state, the month, and the area's initial ozone designation with respect to the
ozone NAAQS.
In order to relax the applicable federal RVP standard in an area where the more stringent federal
RVP of 7.8 psi is required, an area must be designated as (or redesignated to) attainment. If the
redesignated area is still covered by a maintenance plan requirement, then it must also submit a
revised maintenance plan demonstrating continued attainment of the ozone National Ambient
Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) with the less stringent RVP standard in place.
The 11 parishes covered by the proposed rule were redesignated to attainment for the 1-hour
ozone NAAQS and subsequently designated as attainment for the 1997 ozone NAAQS. The
State was required to submit maintenance plans that applied to the period 2004 through 2014
for these parishes for the 1997 ozone NAAQS. The State submitted these plans, which were
approved by EPA. The parishes were designated attainment for the 2008 ozone NAAQS and
were not required to submit maintenance plans for the 2008 ozone NAAQS. Therefore, the last
maintenance plans that these parishes were subject to were in place through 2014, after which
they were no longer subject to a maintenance planning requirement for the ozone NAAQS.
The State has not recommended any of the 11 parishes for nonattainment designation for the
2015 ozone NAAQS.
EPA has determined that because the parishes in question have met all applicable maintenance
planning requirements under the Act, the proposed RVP change does not trigger a requirement
for the State to provide a noninterference demonstration under CAA section 110(1), as would
otherwise be required if the named parishes were still covered by a CAA section 175 A or CAA
section 110(a) maintenance planning requirement or were currently designated as nonattain-
ment for any ozone NAAQS. Continued fleet turnover to newer vehicles and emission reduc-
tions from numerous national regulations are expected to continue to reduce emissions of VOCs
and nitrogen oxides in the future.
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For More Information
You can access the rule and related documents on EPA's Office of Transportation and
Air Quality Web site at:
www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/gasolinefuels/volatility/index.htm
For further information on this NPRM, please contact:
Dave Sosnowski
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
2000 Traverwood Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
734-214-4823
E-mail: sosnowski.dave@epa.gov
Or
Rudy Kapichak
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
2000 Traverwood Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
734-214-4574
E-mail: kapichak.rudolph@epa.gov
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