News Releases from Headquarters›Air and Radiation (OAR)
EPA Approves Emergency Fuel Waiver for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
WASHINGTON (MAY 30, 2019) — In response to a request received on May 29, 2019 , U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler has approved an emergency fuel waiver for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
Administrator Wheeler determined that extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstances exist in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania as a result of damage to the Buckeye Laurel Pipeline that supplies low volatility gasoline to the area. EPA has granted a temporary waiver to help ensure that an adequate supply of gasoline is available in the affected areas until normal supply to the region can be restored.
EPA has waived the low Reid vapor pressure (RVP) requirement in the Pennsylvania State Implementation Plan for gasoline sold in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania to minimize problems with the supply of gasoline. This waiver allows the sale of gasoline in Allegheny County that meets the 9.0 psi RVP standard applicable in other parts of Pennsylvania. EPA has also waived the prohibition on the blending of reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenated blending with other gasoline, blendstock or oxygenate in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. These waivers are effective through June 17, 2019.
The Clean Air Act allows EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, in consultation with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rick Perry, to waive certain fuel requirements to address emergency fuel shortages.
As required by law, EPA and DOE evaluated the situation and determined that granting a short-term waiver was consistent with the public interest. EPA and DOE are continuing to actively monitor the fuel supply situation, and will act expeditiously if extreme and unusual supply circumstances exist in other areas.
To mitigate any impacts on air quality, the Clean Air Act provides strict criteria for when fuel waivers may be granted, and requires that waivers be limited as much as possible in terms of their geographic scope and duration.
More information: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/fuel-waivers