EPA Proposes Criteria to Waive Federal Requirements for Capturing Gasoline Vapors When Refueling Vehicles/Part of Obama Administrations initiative to remove burdensome regula...
WASHINGTON -
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a
proposal under the Clean Air Act that would waive requirements for
systems used at gas station pumps to capture potentially harmful
gasoline vapors while refueling cars. The proposal is part of the
Obama Administration’s initiative to review outdated and
redundant rules and ensure that regulations are beneficial without
being unnecessarily burdensome to American businesses.
Beginning in 2013, states that meet the new
criteria would have the option to do away with vapor recovery
systems at the pump since an estimated 70 percent of all vehicles
will be equipped by then with on-board systems that capture these
vapors. The result of the proposal would be the continued
protection of air quality and public health while potentially
saving affected gas stations more than $3,000 annually.
Since 1994, gas stations in certain areas
have been required to use gasoline vapor recovery systems. The
systems capture fumes that escape from gasoline tanks during
refueling. However, as required by the Clean Air Act, automobile
manufacturers began installing onboard refueling vapor recovery
(ORVR) technologies in 1998, making gas stations’ systems
redundant. Since 2006, all new automobiles and light trucks
(pickups, vans, and SUVs) are equipped with ORVR.
Vapor emissions from refueling, if allowed to
escape, can contribute significantly to ground-level ozone,
sometimes called smog, as well as to other types of harmful air
pollution. Ground-level ozone can cause acute respiratory problems,
aggravated asthma, temporary decreases in lung capacity in healthy
adults and inflammation of lung tissue. Children and the elderly
are most at risk. Gasoline vapors also contain toxic air pollutants
associated with a variety of health threats.
The Clean Air Act allows EPA to establish
criteria for waiving federal requirements for vapor recovery
systems on gasoline pumps when ORVR systems are widely available in
the vehicle fleet. EPA is proposing to establish June 30, 2013, as
the date by which a sufficient portion of the vehicle fleet will be
equipped with such technology. By that date, EPA projects that more
than 70 percent of vehicles on the road will have ORVR
technology.
EPA will accept comment on the proposal for 60
days after publication in the Federal Register.
More information:
https://www3.epa.gov/airquality//#impl