The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will delay publication of a final rule that would reduce the sulfur content of gasoline from 30 parts per million to 10 parts per million by 2017, reports the Petroleum Marketers Association of America (PMAA) in its Weekly Review.
The rule is controversial because it could add as much as nine cents per gallon to the cost of gasoline with very little environmental benefit, according to the Oct. 4 issue of the association’s Weekly Review. The major oil refiners along with PMAA oppose the new gasoline sulfur standard while automobile manufacturers say it is necessary to meet strict new federal vehicle emissions standards.
EPA originally planned to publish the final rule before the end of 2013. EPA now says the rule will be published in early 2014. In explaining the delay, the agency said it needs more time to analyze the more than 200,000 public comments submitted on the proposed rule. Notwithstanding the rulemaking delay, EPA said the 2017 effective date for the new gasoline sulfur standard would not be changed. In addition to the reduction in gasoline sulfur content, the Tier 3 rule would; reduce nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compound emissions from light and medium duty vehicles to 30 milligrams per mile by 2025 from the current 160 milligrams per mile; establish a particulate matter emissions standard of three milligrams per mile, down from the current 10 milligrams; reduce VOC and NOx emissions from heavy duty vehicles; and set an evaporative emission limits for both light and heavy duty vehicles.
