General Procedures to Opt Out of the Reformulated Gasoline Requirements; Removal of Jefferson County, Albany and Buffalo, New York; Twenty-eight Counties in Pennsylvania; and Hancock and Waldo Counties in Maine From the Reformulated Gasoline Program

This final rule establishes the criteria and general procedures for states to opt out of the federal reformulated gasoline program for ozone non-attainment areas where the state had previously voluntarily opted into the program. This action describes the petition process a state must follow to be removed from the program, the criteria used by EPA to approve a petition, and the transition period before the opt-out becomes effective. This final rule also removes Jefferson County and the Albany and Buffalo areas in New York; twenty- eight counties in Pennsylvania; and Hancock and Waldo counties in Maine from the list of covered areas identified in Sec. 80.70 of the reformulated gasoline rule. Today's action only applies to opt-out requests submitted by states prior to December 31, 1997, unless this final rule is superseded by another rule which pertains to new criteria and general procedures for reformulated gasoline program opt-outs. The Agency intends to propose and solicit comments on separate opt-out procedures for subsequent requests to opt out of the reformulated gasoline program.