[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 243 (Tuesday, December 17, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66246-66247]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-31856]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Internal Revenue Service

26 CFR Part 48

[REG-247678-96]
RIN 1545-AU53


Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Excise Tax; Special Rules for Alaska; 
Definition of Aviation Gasoline and Kerosene

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.

ACTION: Proposed rule and notice of proposed rulemaking by cross-
reference to temporary regulations.

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SUMMARY: In the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the 
Federal Register, the IRS is issuing temporary regulations relating to 
the application of the diesel fuel excise tax to fuel used in Alaska. 
The text of those temporary regulations also serves as a portion of the 
text of these proposed regulations. This document also contains other 
proposed regulations relating to gasoline and diesel fuel excise taxes. 
The proposed regulations implement certain changes made by the Omnibus 
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 and the Small Business Job Protection 
Act of 1996 and affect certain enterers, refiners, retailers, terminal 
operators, throughputters, and users.

DATES: Written comments and requests for a public hearing must be 
received by March 17, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send submissions to: CC:DOM:CORP:R (REG-247678-96), room 
5226, Internal Revenue Service, POB 7604, Ben Franklin Station, 
Washington, DC 20044. Submissions may be hand delivered between the 
hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to: CC:DOM:CORP:R (REG-247678-96), Courier's 
Desk, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC. Alternatively, taxpayers may submit comments 
electronically via the Internet by selecting the ``Tax Regs'' option on 
the IRS Home Page, or by submitting comments directly to the IRS 
Internet site at http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/prod/tax__regs/comments/
html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Boland (202) 622-3130 (not a 
toll-free call).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Temporary regulations published in the Rules and Regulations 
section of this issue of the Federal Register provide rules relating to 
diesel fuel that is removed, entered, or sold in the state of Alaska. 
The text of those temporary regulations also serves as the text of 
these proposed regulations relating to Alaska. The preamble to the 
temporary regulations explains the temporary rules.
    In addition, this document proposes definitions of aviation 
gasoline, for purposes of the tax on aviation gasoline as added by the 
Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996, and kerosene, for purposes 
of the tax on diesel fuel. These definitions are based on definitions 
used by the Department of Energy. This document also proposes changes 
to the effective date of proposed regulations relating to gasoline and 
diesel fuel that were published in the Federal Register on March 14, 
1996 (61 FR 10490).

Special Analyses

    It has been determined that this notice of proposed rulemaking is 
not a significant regulatory action as defined in EO 12866. Therefore, 
a regulatory assessment is not required. It also has been determined 
that section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 
chapter 5) does not apply to these regulations and, because these 
regulations do not impose on small entities a collection of information 
requirement, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) does 
not apply. Therefore, a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is not 
required. Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Internal Revenue Code, 
this notice of proposed rulemaking will be submitted to the Chief 
Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment 
on its impact on small business.

Comments and Requests for a Public Hearing

    Before these proposed regulations are adopted as final regulations, 
consideration will be given to any written comments (a signed original 
and eight (8) copies) that are submitted timely to the IRS. All 
comments will be available for public inspection and copying. A public 
hearing may be scheduled if requested in writing by a person that 
timely submits written comments. If a public hearing is scheduled, a 
notice of the date, time, and place for the hearing will be published 
in the Federal Register.

Drafting Information

    The principal author of these regulations is Frank Boland, Office 
of Assistant Chief Counsel (Passthroughs and Special Industries). 
However, other personnel from the IRS and Treasury Department 
participated in their development.

List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 48

    Excise taxes, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Proposed Amendments to the Regulations

    Accordingly, 26 CFR part 48 is proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 48--MANUFACTURERS AND RETAILERS EXCISE TAXES

    Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 48 is amended by 
adding an entry in numerical order to read in part as follows:

    Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *

    Section 48.4082-5 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 4082. * * *
    Par. 2. Section 48.4081-1 is amended as follows:
    1. Paragraph (b) is amended by adding new definitions in 
alphabetical order.
    2. The second sentence of paragraph (c)(2)(i) is amended by adding 
the language ``aviation fuel (as defined in section 4093(a)),'' after 
``does not include''.
    3. Paragraph (d) is revised.
    The additions and revision read as follows:


Sec. 48.4081-1   Taxable fuel; definitions.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
* * * * *
    Aviation gasoline means all special grades of gasoline that are 
suitable for use in aviation reciprocating engines, as described in 
ASTM Specification D 910 and Military Specification MIL-G-5572 (For 
availability see paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section.).
* * * * *
    Kerosene means No. 1-K and No. 2-K kerosene described in ASTM 
Specification D 3699 (the specification), applied without regard to any 
agreement permitted by the specification (For availability see 
paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section.). Any other fuel is not kerosene 
even if an agreement permitted by the specification modifies the 
applicable requirements and the fuel is treated as kerosene under the 
agreement.
* * * * *
    (d) Effective date. This section is effective January 1, 1994, 
except that in paragraph (b) of this section the

[[Page 66247]]

definitions of aviation gasoline and kerosene are effective on the date 
the final regulations are published in the Federal Register. 
    Par. 3. In Sec. 48.4081-8(c) (as proposed to be added in the 
Federal Register for March 14, 1996 (61 FR 10491)), the language 
``October 1, 1996.'' is removed and ``the date that is 60 days after 
the date that the final regulations are published in the Federal 
Register.'' is added in its place.
    Par. 4. In Sec. 48.4082-1(d)(7) (as proposed in the Federal 
Register for March 14, 1996 (61 FR 10491)), the language ``April 1, 
1997.'' is removed and ``the date that is 180 days after the date that 
the final regulations are published in the Federal Register.'' is added 
in its place.
    Par. 5. Section 48.4082-5 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 48.4082-5   Diesel fuel; Alaska.

    [The text of this proposed section is the same as the text of 
Sec. 48.4082-5T published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal 
Register].
    Par. 6. Section 48.6715-2 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 48.6715-2   Application of section 6715(a)(3) to Alaska.

    [The text of this proposed section is the same as the text of 
Sec. 48.6715-2T published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal 
Register].
Margaret Milner Richardson,
Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
[FR Doc. 96-31856 Filed 12-16-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830-01-P