2014-11910. Approval of States' Requests To Relax the Federal Reid Vapor Pressure Volatility Standard in Florida, and the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill and Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point Areas in North Carolina

AGENCY:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Withdrawal of direct final rule.

SUMMARY:

Due to the receipt of adverse comments, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is withdrawing the March 31, 2014, direct final rule to approve requests from Florida and North Carolina for the EPA to relax the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) Standard applicable to gasoline introduced into commerce from June 1 to September 15 of each year in six counties in Florida, and in counties in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area (also referred to as the “Triangle Area”) and the Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point Area (also referred to as the “Triad Area”) in North Carolina. The EPA is considering these comments and will address the comments in a subsequent action that is to be published soon. The EPA will not institute a second comment period on this action.

DATES:

The direct final rule published at 79 FR 17889 on March 31, 2014, is withdrawn as of May 22, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Rudolph Kapichak, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; telephone number: 734-214-4574; fax number 734-214-4052; email address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On March 31, 2014 (79 FR 17889), the EPA published a direct final rule approving a request from Florida to change the summertime RVP standard for Broward, Dade, Duval, Hillsborough, Palm Beach and Pinellas counties in Florida from 7.8 psi to 9.0 psi by amending the EPA's regulations at 40 CFR 80.27(a)(2). Additionally, in that direct final rule the EPA approved a request from North Carolina to change the summertime RVP standard for the Triangle and Triad Areas from 7.8 psi to 9.0 psi by amending the EPA's regulations at 40 CFR 80.27(a)(2). The Triangle Area is comprised of Durham and Wake Counties, and the Dutchville Township portion of Granville County. The Triad Area is comprised of the counties of Davidson, Forsyth and Guilford in their entirety, and the portion of Davie County bounded by the Yadkin River, Dutchmans Creek, North Carolina Highway 801, Fulton Creek and back to Yadkin River. In previous rulemakings, the EPA approved state implementation plan revisions from Florida and North Carolina which provided technical analyses that demonstrated that removal of the Federal RVP requirements of 7.8 psi for gasoline sold between June 1 and September 15 of each year in the six counties in Florida, and the North Carolina Triangle and Triad Areas would not interfere with maintenance of the national ambient air quality standards in these areas. In the direct final rule, the EPA stated that if adverse comments were received by April 30, 2014, the rule would be withdrawn and not take effect. On March 29, 2014, the EPA received a comment letter. The EPA interprets the comments in that letter as adverse and, therefore, the EPA is withdrawing the direct final rule. The EPA will address these comments in a separate final action based upon the proposed rulemaking action at 79 FR 17966 (March 31, 2014). The EPA will not institute a second comment period on this action.

Accordingly, the amendment to 40 CFR 80.27 which published in the Federal Register on March 31, 2014, at 79 FR 17895 is withdrawn as of May 22, 2014.

Dated: May 15, 2014.

Gina McCarthy,

Administrator.