96-9177. Approval of Colorado's Petition to Relax the Federal Gasoline Reid Vapor Pressure Volatility Standard for 1996 and 1997

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 73 (Monday, April 15, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16423-16424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9177]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 80

[FRL-5457-6]


Approval of Colorado's Petition to Relax the Federal Gasoline 
Reid Vapor Pressure Volatility Standard for 1996 and 1997

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'' or the 
``Agency'') is proposing a limited approval of the State of Colorado's 
petition to relax the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) standard that applies 
to gasoline introduced into commerce in the Denver-Boulder ozone 
nonattainment area from June 1 to September 15. It is proposed that the 
standard be relaxed from 7.8 pounds per square inches (psi) to 9.0 psi 
for the years 1996 and 1997. Pursuant to the Clean Air Act Amendments 
of 1990, Federal RVP standards were promulgated by EPA on June 11, 1990 
and revised on December 12, 1991. Colorado's petition is based on 
evidence that the Denver-Boulder area does not need the 7.8 psi 
standard to maintain ozone attainment in the near term and that the 7.8 
psi standard would impose significant costs on industry and

[[Page 16424]]

consumers. Colorado's petition requests a continuation of previous 
relaxations of the RVP standard. EPA has approved relaxations in the 
Denver-Boulder area for the past four years, from 1992 through 1995.

DATES: Comments on this proposed rule must be received in writing by 
May 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Materials relevant to this rulemaking have been placed in 
Docket A-96-10 by EPA. The docket is located at the Docket Office of 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20460, Room M-1500 in Waterside Mall and may be 
inspected from 8:30am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday. A reasonable 
fee may be charged for copying docket material.
    Comments should be submitted (in duplicate if possible) to the Air 
Docket Section at the above address. A copy should also be sent to the 
EPA contact person listed below at the following address: U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and Radiation, 401 M 
Street, SW. (6406-J), Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marilyn Winstead McCall of the Fuels 
and Energy Division at 202-233-9029 at the above address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For more detailed information on this 
proposal, please see EPA's Direct Final Rulemaking published in the 
Final Rules section of this Federal Register which approves for a 
limited time period Colorado's petition to relax the Reid Vapor 
Pressure standard in the Denver-Boulder area from 7.8 psi to 9.0 psi 
for the summer ozone season beginning June 1, 1996. The Agency views 
this as a noncontroversial action due to the limited scope of this 
proposed rulemaking, Colorado's continued attainment of the ozone 
standard and for the reasons discussed in the direct final rulemaking 
published in today's Federal Register. If no adverse comments are 
received in response to this proposed rule, no further action is 
contemplated in relation to this rule. If EPA receives adverse 
comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public 
comments received will be addressed in a subsequent rule. The EPA will 
not institute a second comment period on this document. Any parties 
interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7545 and 7601(a).

    Dated: April 4, 1996.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-9177 Filed 4-12-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P