Approval of Louisiana's Petition To Relax the Summer Gasoline Volatility Standard for the Grant Parish Area

EPA is taking direct final action approving the State of Louisiana's request to relax the federal Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) standard applicable to gasoline introduced into commerce in Grant Parish, Louisiana, (Grant Parish) during the summer ozone control season--June 1 to September 15 of each year. Grant Parish is a designated attainment area under the 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard ("NAAQS") and is a redesignated attainment area under the 1-hour ozone NAAQS. This action amends our regulations to change the summertime RVP standard for Grant Parish from 7.8 pounds per square inch (psi) to 9.0 psi. EPA has determined that this change to our federal RVP regulations is consistent with the applicable provisions of the Clean Air Act. Louisiana's request is supported by evidence that Grant Parish can implement the 9.0 psi RVP standard and maintain the 8- hour ozone NAAQS and that relaxation of the applicable RVP standard to 9.0 psi will provide economic benefits. This action is being taken without prior proposal because EPA believes that this final rulemaking is noncontroversial, for the reasons set forth in this preamble, and due to the limited scope of this action.