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EPA Approves Emergency Fuel Waiver for Texas

08/25/2017
Contact Information: 
EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

WASHINGTON – EPA Administrator Pruitt exercised his authority under the Clean Air Act today to waive certain fuel requirements to address shortages resulting from Hurricane Harvey. 

The Clear Air Act allows EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, in consultation with Energy Secretary Rick Perry, to waive certain fuel requirements to address shortages that occur as a result of the storm. Administrator Pruitt quickly determined that extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstances exist in portions of Texas as a result of the hurricane, and has granted a temporary waiver to help ensure an adequate supply of gasoline is available in the affected areas until normal supply to the region can be restored.  

Waivers were granted by EPA Administrator Pruitt, in coordination with the U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, at the request of Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Executive Director Richard Hyde and Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

The waiver in Texas applies until September 15, 2017 for reformulated gasoline (RFG), Reid vapor pressure (RVP) and Texas Low Emission Diesel (TxLED) in the affected Texas counties covered by Governor Abbot’s Disaster Proclamation.  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 is continuing to actively monitor the fuel supply situation as a result of Hurricane Harvey, and is ready to 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 fuels 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