Regulations of Fuels and Fuel Additives: Extension of the Reformulated Gasoline Program to the Phoenix, Arizona Moderate Ozone Nonattainment Area

Under section 211(k)(6) of the Clean Air Act, as amended (``Act'' or ``CAA''), the Administrator of EPA must require the sale of reformulated gasoline (``RFG'') in an ozone nonattainment area classified as Marginal, Moderate, Serious, or Severe upon the application of the governor of the state in which the nonattainment area is located. As requested by the Governor of Arizona, today's action extends the requirement to sell RFG to the Phoenix, Arizona moderate ozone nonattainment area, effective July 3, 1997 for all persons other than retailers and wholesale purchaser-consumers (i.e., refiners, importers, and distributors), and August 4, 1997 for retailers and wholesale purchaser-consumers. As of the implementation date for retailers and wholesale purchaser-consumers, the Phoenix ozone nonattainment area will be a covered area for all purposes in the federal RFG program. The federal Phase I RFG program provides reductions in ozone-forming volatile organic compounds (``VOC'') emissions and air toxics, and prohibits increase in oxides of nitrogen (``NO<INF>X</INF>'') emissions. Reductions in VOCs are environmentally significant because of the associated reductions in ozone formation. Exposure to ground-level ozone (or smog) can cause respiratory problems, chest pain, and coughing and may worsen bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma.