[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12779-12780]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4864]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[AMS-FRL-6948-5]


Control of Air Pollution From New Motor Vehicles; Low Sulfur 
Gasoline Refinery Hardship Applications

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In December 1999, we promulgated the Tier 2/Gasoline Sulfur 
final rule (see 65 FR 6698, February 10, 2000) for more stringent 
vehicle emission standards and low sulfur gasoline. This action 
included a provision which allows refiners to seek temporary relief 
from the regulations based on a showing of unusual circumstances that 
impose extreme hardship and significantly affect their ability to 
comply by the required date, as well as other factors. This provision 
also requires refiners to make best efforts to comply with low sulfur 
gasoline requirements. Through this action, we are inviting comment on 
the applications and relief requested for three refiners whose 
application is under active assessment. The public is invited to 
provide comment on this matter.

DATES: Any comment should be provided to the EPA by March 21, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments: Send paper or e-mail comments to the contact 
person listed below. If applicable, commenters should specify which 
application they are addressing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tad Wysor, U.S. EPA, National Vehicle 
and Fuels Emission Laboratory, Assessment and Standards Division, 2000 
Traverwood, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; telephone (734) 214-4332, fax (734) 
214-4816, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Tier 2/Gasoline Sulfur final rule, we 
established standards to limit the sulfur content of gasoline beginning 
in 2004. As part of this rule, we included provisions permitting 
refiners to seek temporary relief from these requirements based on a 
showing of unusual circumstances that impose extreme hardship and 
significantly affect the refiner's ability to comply by the required 
date, as well as other factors. This provision also requires the 
refiners to make best efforts to comply with the low sulfur gasoline 
requirements (see 40 CFR 80.270). At this time, we are actively 
considering applications from three refiners. These applicants are 
identified below with their refinery's total crude oil capacity in 
barrels per calendar day and a general description of the relief they 
are seeking:

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                                                                           Crude
                 Refinery                            Location             capacity          Relief sought
                                                                          (bped)*
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United Refining Company..................  Warren, PA.................       65,000  Same as small refiner
                                                                                      program.
Wyoming Refining.........................  Newcastle, WY..............        9,995  150 ppm avg/300 ppm cap for
                                                                                      2004-2007.
National Cooperative Refinery Assoc.       McPherson, KS..............       77,400  Interim sulfur reductions
 (NCRA).                                                                              with full compliance in
                                                                                      June 2006.
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* Based on data from the Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration Petroleum Supply Annual 1999,
  Vol. 1 as of January 1, 2000.


[[Page 12780]]

    We are now in the process of reviewing and evaluating these 
hardship applications according to the provisions of 40 CFR 80.270. 
Although the review and determination associated with these 
applications does not involve a rulemaking, we believe it is important 
to provide public notice of these applications and to provide 
opportunity for public comment. The applicants have requested that we 
treat most of the information in their applications as business 
proprietary ``Confidential Business Information'' under 40 CFR part 2.
    Any party wishing to provide us input on these applicants in the 
context of 40 CFR 80.270 or to provide what they otherwise consider to 
be relevant materials should direct these to the contact person listed 
above by March 21, 2001. We will consider any relevant information 
provided in our evaluation of these applications.

    Dated: February 16, 2001.
Robert D. Brenner,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 01-4864 Filed 2-27-01; 8:45 am]
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