Reformulated gas tops agenda at NPRA

Journal Article · Wed Mar 29 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Chemical Week

OSTI ID:223961

Attacks on reformulated gasoline (RFG) and coordinating an industry response took center stage at the annual meeting of the National Petroleum Refiners Association (NPRA) last week in San Francisco. Refiners have spent billions making RFG available as required under the Clean Air Act (CAA), and now there is talk from EPA and state governments of changing course midstream. The CAA amendments of 1990 told gasoline producers they would have to make reformulated gasoline. It took EPA three years to write those rules and then it gave the refiners one year to make RFG and get it to market, with the producers meeting the one year deadline. Of particular concern to refiners is the effort in Wisconsin to ban methyl tert-butyl ether and indications from the EPA that it may relax regulations on the use RFG in the area. Milwaukee is one of nine urban areas where use of RFG is mandated under CAA and it is shaping up as a battleground for RFG refiners, marketers, and state/EPA officials. Urvan Sternfels, president of NPRA, says concerns about health and vehicle performance may be masking unfounded fears about RFG pricing. RFG has been in use for years without the profile that exists now, and such concerns did not surface until mandates when into effect this year.

• OSTI ID: 223961
• Journal Information: Chemical Week, Journal Name: Chemical Week Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 156; ISSN CHWKA9; ISSN 0009-272X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
GASOLINE
IMPLEMENTATION
LEGISLATION
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
POLLUTION REGULATIONS
URBAN AREAS
US EPA