Regulation of Fuel and Fuel Additives: Refiner and Importer Quality Assurance Requirements for Downstream Oxygenate Blending and Requirements for Pipeline Interface

This direct final rule amends the reformulated gasoline (RFG) regulations to allow refiners and importers of reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending, or RBOB, the option to use an alternative method of fulfilling a regulatory requirement to conduct quality assurance sampling and testing at downstream oxygenate blending facilities. This alternative method consists of a comprehensive program of quality assurance sampling and testing that would cover all terminals that blend oxygenate with RBOB in a specified reformulated gasoline covered area. The program would be carried out by an independent surveyor funded by industry. The program would be conducted pursuant to a survey plan, approved by EPA, that is calculated to achieve the same objectives as the current regulatory quality assurance requirement. This direct final rule also largely codifies existing guidance for compliance by parties that handle pipeline interface with requirements for gasoline content standards, recordkeeping, sampling and testing. The rule also contains new provisions which provide additional flexibility for these regulated parties. It also establishes gasoline sulfur standards for transmix processors and blenders that are consistent with the sulfur standards for other entities, such as pipelines and terminals, that are downstream of refineries in the gasoline distribution system, and clarifies the requirements for transmix processors under the Mobile Source Air Toxics program.