Control of Air Pollution From New Motor Vehicles; Amendment to the Tier 2/Gasoline Sulfur Regulations

Today's action corrects, amends, and revises certain provisions of the Tier 2/Gasoline Sulfur regulations to assist regulated entities with program implementation and compliance. First, it makes minor corrections to clarify the regulations governing compliance with the gasoline sulfur standards. Second, with respect to the low sulfur gasoline program, it revises the boundaries of the Geographic Phase-in Area (GPA) to include counties and tribal lands in states adjacent to the eight original GPA states. The intention of this amendment is to ensure a smooth transition to low sulfur gasoline nationwide and to mitigate the potential for gasoline supply shortages. Third, it amends certain provisions of the small refiner and Averaging, Banking, and Trading (ABT) programs to assist domestic and foreign refiners and importers in establishing gasoline sulfur baselines for credit and allotment generation purposes. Fourth, it revises certain sampling and testing provisions for low sulfur gasoline to enable certain refiners to generate early credits and/or allotments under the ABT program. Finally, today's action makes minor revisions to the regulations governing compliance with the vehicle standards. We plan to make other necessary corrections, amendments, and revisions to the Tier 2/Gasoline Sulfur regulations in a future rulemaking.