Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Virginia; Removal of Stage II Gasoline Vapor Recovery Requirements for Gasoline Dispensing Facilities

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the Commonwealth of Virginia's state implementation plan (SIP). The revision serves to remove requirements for vapor recovery equipment (also referred to as Stage II vapor recovery, or simply as Stage II) from subject gasoline stations in areas of Virginia that were formerly required to install and operate Stage II under the prior approved SIP. In 2012, EPA determined that new, gasoline-powered vehicles equipped with onboard vapor recovery systems (beginning with those manufactured in model year 1998) were in widespread use and have, in great part, supplanted emission reductions formerly controlled via Stage II vapor recovery on gasoline dispensers at service stations. In two prior rulemakings, EPA has already approved Virginia's demonstrations showing that the emission benefits generated by Stage II vapor recovery have been fully offset, without impacting the affected Virginia areas' ability to attain and maintain any national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). Virginia amended its existing rules to remove Stage II as a required measure by January 2017 and added decommissioning procedures for stations electing to opt out of the program. EPA is approving this SIP revision to amend the Virginia Stage II vapor recovery program in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).