State of Alaska Petition for Exemption From Diesel Fuel Sulfur Requirements

In this action, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is granting areas of Alaska served by the Federal Aid Highway System a temporary exemption from EPA's sulfur and dye requirements for highway diesel fuel until January 1, 2004. EPA is not making a final decision at this time on Alaska's request for a permanent exemption. Additional time is needed to consider Alaska's request for a permanent exemption because of the need to coordinate the decision with an upcoming nationwide rule on diesel fuel quality, lead-time considerations, and fuel dyeing requirements of another federal agency. This decision is not expected to have a significant impact on the ability of Alaska's communities to attain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for carbon monoxide or particulate matter, due to the limited contribution of emissions from diesel highway vehicles in those areas and the sulfur level currently found in highway vehicle diesel fuel used in Alaska.