[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 12, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 13132-13136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-4917]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 80

[EPA-HQ-2005-0036; FRL-8542-1]
RIN 2060-AO89


Control of Hazardous Air Pollutants From Mobile Sources: Early 
Credit Technology Requirement Revision

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Direct final rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA is taking direct final action to revise the February 26, 
2007 mobile source air toxics rule's requirements that specify the 
benzene control technologies that qualify a refiner to generate early 
benzene credits. This action will allow another specific benzene 
control technology, benzene alkylation, in addition to the four 
operational or technological changes that the 2007 rule currently 
allows. This action also includes a general provision that allows a 
refiner to submit a request to EPA to approve other benzene-reducing 
operational changes or technologies for the purpose of generating early 
credits.

DATES: This direct final rule is effective on May 12, 2008, without 
further notice, unless EPA receives adverse comment by April 11, 2008. 
If EPA receives adverse comment, we will publish a timely withdrawal in 
the Federal Register informing the public that the rule will not take 
effect.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
2005-0036, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: (202) 566-9744.
     Mail: EPA-HQ-2005-0036, Environmental Protection Agency, 
Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA 
Headquarters Library, Room 3334 West Building, 1301 Constitution Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20004. Such deliveries are only accepted during the 
Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be 
made for deliveries of boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-2005-
0036. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in 
the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you 
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site 
is an ``anonymous access'' system which means EPA will not know your 
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of 
your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without 
going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you 
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name 
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any 
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA 
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid 
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defects or viruses.
    For additional instructions on submitting comments, go to section 
1.B of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the 
www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 
information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such 
as copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet and will be 
publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket 
materials are available either electronically in www.regulations.gov or 
in hard copy at the Air Docket, EPA/DC, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room 
is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the 
Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the 
Air Docket is (202) 566-1742.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Brunner, Office of 
Transportation and Air Quality, Assessment and Standards Division, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; 
telephone number: (734) 214-4287; fax number: (734) 214-4816; e-mail 
address: [email protected]. Alternative contact: Assessment and 
Standards Division Hotline, telephone number: (734) 214-4636; e-mail 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Why is EPA Using a Direct Final Rule?

    EPA is publishing this rule without prior proposal because we view 
this as a non-controversial action and anticipate no adverse comment. 
However, in the ``Proposed Rules'' section of today's Federal Register 
publication, we are publishing a separate document that will serve as 
the proposed rule to adopt the provisions in this direct final rule if 
adverse comments are filed. We will not institute a second comment 
period on this action. Any parties interested in commenting must do so 
at this time. For further information about commenting on this rule, 
see the ADDRESSES section of this document.
    If EPA receives adverse comment, we will publish a timely 
withdrawal in the Federal Register informing the public that this 
direct final rule will not take effect. We would address all public

[[Page 13133]]

comments in a subsequent final rule based on the proposed rule.

Does This Action Apply to Me?

    This action may affect you if you produce gasoline. The following 
table gives some examples of entities that may have to follow the 
regulations.

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                                                   NAICS \1\                         Examples of potentially
                   Category                          codes       SIC \2\ codes         regulated entities
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Industry......................................          324110            2911  Petroleum Refiners.
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\1\ North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
\2\ Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system code.

    This table is not intended to be exhaustive, but provides a guide 
for readers regarding entities likely to be regulated by this action. 
This table lists the types of entities that EPA is now aware could 
potentially be affected by this action. Other types of entities not 
listed in the table could also be affected. To decide whether your 
organization might be affected by this action, you should carefully 
examine today's action and the existing regulations in 40 CFR part 80. 
If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to 
a particular entity, consult the persons listed in the preceding FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    A. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through 
http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark the part or all of 
the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk 
or CD ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD ROM 
as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD ROM the 
specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one 
complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as 
CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information 
claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. 
Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with 
procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.
    B. Tips for Preparing Your Comments. When submitting comments, 
remember to:
     Identify the rulemaking by docket number and other 
identifying information (subject heading, Federal Register date and 
page number).
     Follow directions--The agency may ask you to respond to 
specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number.
     Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives 
and substitute language for your requested changes.
     Describe any assumptions and provide any technical 
information and/or data that you used.
     If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how 
you arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be 
reproduced.
     Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns, and 
suggest alternatives.
     Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the 
use of profanity or personal threats.
     Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period 
deadline identified.
    C. Docket Copying Costs. You may be charged a reasonable fee for 
photocopying docket materials, as provided in 40 CFR part 2.

Outline of This Preamble

I. Background
II. Today's Action
III. Environmental and Economic Impact
IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
    A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review
    B. Paperwork Reduction Act
    C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
    D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
    E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
    F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With 
Indian Tribal Governments
    G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children from 
Environmental Health & Safety Risks
    H. Executive Order 13211: Actions That Significantly Affect 
Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use
    I. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act
    J. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions To Address 
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income 
Populations
    K. Congressional Review Act
Statutory Provisions and Legal Authority
List of Subjects

I. Background

    The Mobile Source Air Toxics rule (MSAT2), published on February 
26, 2007 (72 FR 8428), requires that refiners and importers produce 
gasoline that has an annual average benzene content of 0.62 volume 
percent (vol%) or less, beginning in 2011. (See Sec.  80.1230(a).) The 
rule also requires that no refiner or importer have an actual average 
gasoline benzene level greater than 1.3 volume percent. After achieving 
an actual annual average benzene level of 1.3 vol%, refiners and 
importers may use benzene credits to reduce their average benzene level 
to 0.62 vol%. Refiners may generate benzene credits for their own use 
or to sell to others, in two ways. Once the program begins in 2011, a 
refiner generates credits (known as standard credits) when its average 
annual gasoline benzene level is less than 0.62 vol%. Importers can 
also generate standard credits. Refiners may also generate credits 
prior to 2011.\1\ These credits are called early credits. The final 
rule allowed for the generation of early benzene credits in any annual 
averaging period prior to 2011 (i.e., 2008, 2009, and 2010), as well as 
for the partial year period June 1-December 31, 2007. Early credits are 
generated on a refinery basis. In order to generate early credits, a 
refinery must meet several requirements:
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    \1\ Importers are not allowed to generate early credits because 
they do not have the ability to make the benzene reduction 
technology changes that would lower benzene levels in the gasoline 
pool.
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    (1) Establish a benzene baseline based on the average benzene level 
of the gasoline produced at the refinery during the two-year period 
2004-05. (See Sec.  80.1285.)
    (2) Make operational changes or improvements in benzene control 
technology that will result in real benzene reductions. (See Sec.  
80.1275(d).)
    (3) Achieve an annual average benzene level at least 10% lower than 
its baseline level. (See Sec.  80.1275(a).)
    In Sec.  80.1275(d)(1) of the MSAT2 final rule, we specified four 
types of operational changes and benzene control technology 
improvements that would allow a refinery to qualify for generating 
early credits if it implemented the changes after 2005 and if it also 
met the other related requirements. These operational changes and 
technology improvements are:
    (1) Treating the heavy straight run naphtha entering the reformer 
using light naphtha splitting and/or isomerization.
    (2) Treating the reformate stream exiting the reformer using 
benzene extraction or benzene saturation.

[[Page 13134]]

    (3) Directing additional refinery streams to the reformer for 
treatment as described in (1) and (2) above.
    (4) Directing reformate streams to other refineries with treatment 
capabilities as described in (2) above.
    We included in this list all the strategies we thought would reduce 
benzene and be cost-effective. The provision was intended to not allow 
early credit generation solely by benzene reductions achieved through 
ethanol blending. A refinery needs to implement at least one of the 
listed improvements.
    The final rule did not provide a way for EPA to consider 
alternative means of reducing benzene, no matter how efficacious the 
alternative might be. Soon after the rule was finalized, it came to our 
attention that at least one refinery had plans to install benzene 
alkylation technology. Benzene alkylation is not one of the four 
operational or technological changes enumerated in the final rule. 
Although EPA regards benzene alkylation as a legitimate benzene 
reduction technology, we did not expect it to be used. (See the 
Regulatory Impact Analysis (EPA420-R-07-002, February 2007), Chapter 6, 
Page 36.)

II. Today's Action

    We published a Questions and Answers document related to the MSAT2 
program on August 16, 2007. (http://epa.gov/otaq/regs/toxics/420f07053.pdf) In that document, we specifically addressed benzene 
alkylation and indicated that benzene alkylation meets the intent of 
the technology requirement for early credits. As discussed in the 
preamble of the final rule, early credits are generated based on 
innovations in gasoline benzene control technology that result in real 
benzene reductions prior to the start of the program in 2011. (See 72 
FR 8486.) The use of benzene alkylation directly results in lower 
gasoline benzene levels.
    Today's action revises Sec.  80.1275(d)(1) to include benzene 
alkylation in the list of acceptable reduction operational and 
technological strategies. We have also included a general provision 
that would allow a refiner to petition EPA to use an operational or 
technological change that is not listed in the regulation for the 
purpose of generating early credits. The refiner would have to 
demonstrate that the benzene control technology improvement or 
operational change results in a net reduction in the refinery's average 
gasoline benzene level, exclusive of benzene reductions due simply to 
blending practices. The petition would have to be submitted to EPA 
prior to the start of the first averaging period in which the refinery 
plans to generate early credits. EPA expects it would act on such a 
petition before the end of that averaging period. The refiner would 
also have to provide additional information requested by EPA.
    The other requirements for generating early credits are unchanged. 
These include submitting a benzene baseline, reducing the refinery's 
baseline benzene level by at least 10% in a given averaging period, and 
not moving gasoline or blendstock streams between refineries for the 
purpose of generating early credits. (See 72 FR 8486.)

III. Environmental and Economic Impact

    We believe there will be no negative environmental or economic 
impacts of today's action. This action will allow those companies that 
have alternative means or strategies for reducing gasoline benzene to 
request EPA approval to use them for the purpose of generating early 
benzene credits. Average gasoline benzene levels from such refiners 
will decrease faster and earlier than if they had not generated early 
credits, and such credits will help provide for a robust credit pool 
when the program starts in 2011.

IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review

    This action revises the February 26, 2007 mobile source air toxics 
rule's requirements that specify the benzene control technologies that 
qualify a refiner to generate early benzene credits. It allows another 
specific benzene control technology, benzene alkylation, to be used for 
the purpose of generating early credits, and allows a refiner to submit 
a request to EPA to approve other benzene-reducing operational changes 
or technologies for the purpose of generating early credits. This 
action is not expected to have an annual impact on the economy of more 
than $100 million, nor does it raise any novel legal or policy issues. 
This action is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under the terms 
of Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993) and therefore 
not subject to review under the Executive Order.

B. Paperwork Reduction Act

    This action does not impose an information collection burden under 
the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. 
because the amendments in this rule do not change the information 
collection requirements of the underlying rule.
    Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or 
provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time 
needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize 
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and 
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and 
disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to 
comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements; 
train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; 
search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; 
and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's 
regulations in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    EPA has determined that it is not necessary to prepare a regulatory 
flexibility analysis in connection with this final rule because this 
action will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities.
    For purposes of assessing the impacts of today's rule on small 
entities, small entity is defined as: (1) A petroleum refining company 
with fewer than 1500 employees or a petroleum wholesaler or broker with 
fewer than 100 employees, based on the North American Industrial 
Classification System (NAICS); (2) a small governmental jurisdiction 
that is a government of a city, county, town, school district or 
special district with a population of less than 50,000; and (3) a small 
organization that is any not-for-profit enterprise which is 
independently owned and operated and is not dominant in its field.

D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

    Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA), Public 
Law 104-4, establishes requirements for Federal agencies to assess the 
effects of their regulatory actions on State, local, and tribal 
governments and the private sector. Under section 202 of the UMRA, EPA 
generally must prepare a written statement, including a cost-benefit 
analysis, for proposed and final rules with ``federal mandates'' that 
may result in expenditures to State, local, and tribal governments, in 
the aggregate, or

[[Page 13135]]

to the private sector, of $100 million or more in any one year. Before 
promulgating an EPA rule for which a written statement is needed, 
section 205 of the UMRA generally requires EPA to identify and consider 
a reasonable number of regulatory alternatives and adopt the least 
costly, most cost-effective or least burdensome alternative that 
achieves the objectives of the rule. The provisions of section 205 do 
not apply when they are inconsistent with applicable law. Moreover, 
section 205 allows EPA to adopt an alternative other than the least 
costly, most cost-effective or least burdensome alternative if the 
Administrator publishes with the final rule an explanation why that 
alternative was not adopted. Before EPA establishes any regulatory 
requirements that may significantly or uniquely affect small 
governments, including tribal governments, it must have developed under 
section 203 of the UMRA a small government agency plan. The plan must 
provide for notifying potentially affected small governments, enabling 
officials of affected small governments to have meaningful and timely 
input in the development of EPA regulatory proposals with significant 
Federal intergovernmental mandates, and informing, educating, and 
advising small governments on compliance with the regulatory 
requirements.
    Today's rule contains no Federal mandates (under the regulatory 
provisions of Title II of the UMRA) for State, local, or tribal 
governments or the private sector. EPA has determined that this rule 
does not contain a Federal mandate that may result in expenditures of 
$100 million or more for State, local, and tribal governments, in the 
aggregate, or the private sector in any one year. Today's action simply 
modifies the original rule in a limited manner, and does not 
significantly change the original rule. Thus, today's final rule is not 
subject to the requirements of sections 202 and 205 of the UMRA.
    EPA has determined that this rule contains no regulatory 
requirements that might significantly or uniquely affect small 
governments, because it applies only to parties that produce gasoline.

E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism

    Executive Order 13132, entitled ``Federalism'' (64 FR 43255, August 
10, 1999), requires EPA to develop an accountable process to ensure 
``meaningful and timely input by State and local officials in the 
development of regulatory policies that have federalism implications.'' 
``Policies that have federalism implications'' is defined in the 
Executive Order to include regulations that have ``substantial direct 
effects on the States, on the relationship between the national 
government and the States, or on the distribution of power and 
responsibilities among the various levels of government.''
    This final rule does not have federalism implications. It will not 
have substantial direct effects on the States, on the relationship 
between the national government and the States, or on the distribution 
of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government, 
as specified in Executive Order 13132. The rule amends existing 
regulatory provisions applicable only to producers of gasoline and does 
not alter State authority to regulate these entities. The amendments 
will impose no direct costs on State or local governments. Thus, 
Executive Order 13132 does not apply to this rule.

F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With Indian 
Tribal Governments

    Executive Order 13175, entitled ``Consultation and Coordination 
with Indian Tribal Governments'' (65 FR 67249, November 6, 2000), 
requires EPA to develop an accountable process to ensure ``meaningful 
and timely input by tribal officials in the development of regulatory 
policies that have tribal implications.'' ``Policies that have tribal 
implications'' is defined in the Executive Order to include regulations 
that have ``substantial direct effects on one or more Indian tribes, on 
the relationship between the Federal government and the Indian tribes, 
or on the distribution of power and responsibilities between the 
Federal government and Indian tribes.''
    This final rule does not have tribal implications, as specified in 
Executive Order 13175. It will not have substantial direct effects on 
tribal governments, on the relationship between the Federal government 
and Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities 
between the Federal government and Indian tribes, as specified in 
Executive Order 13175. This rule amends existing regulatory provisions 
applicable only to producers of gasoline and will impose no direct 
costs on tribal governments. Thus, Executive Order 13175 does not apply 
to this rule.

G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From Environmental 
Health & Safety Risks

    Executive Order 13045: ``Protection of Children from Environmental 
Health Risks and Safety Risks'' (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997) applies 
to any rule that: (1) Is determined to be ``economically significant'' 
as defined under Executive Order 12866, and (2) concerns an 
environmental health or safety risk that EPA has reason to believe may 
have a disproportionate effect on children. If the regulatory action 
meets both criteria, the Agency must evaluate the environmental health 
or safety effects of the planned rule on children, and explain why the 
planned regulation is preferable to other potentially effective and 
reasonably feasible alternatives considered by the Agency.
    This rule is not subject to Executive Order 13045 because it is not 
an economically significant regulatory action as defined in Executive 
Order 12866.

H. Executive Order 13211: Actions That Significantly Affect Energy 
Supply, Distribution, or Use

    This rule is not subject to Executive Order 13211, ``Actions 
Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, 
Distribution, or Use'' (66 FR 28355 (May 22, 2001)) because it is not a 
significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866.

I. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act

    Section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement 
Act of 1995 (``NTTAA''), Public Law 104-113, section 12(d) (15 U.S.C. 
272 note) directs EPA to use voluntary consensus standards in its 
regulatory activities unless to do so would be inconsistent with 
applicable law or otherwise impractical. Voluntary consensus standards 
are technical standards (e.g., materials specifications, test methods, 
sampling procedures, and business practices) that are developed or 
adopted by voluntary consensus standards bodies. The NTTAA directs EPA 
to provide Congress, through OMB, explanations when the Agency decides 
not to use available and applicable voluntary consensus standards.
    This action does not involve technical standards. Therefore, EPA 
did not consider the use of any voluntary consensus standards.

J. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions To Address Environmental 
Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations

    Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629 (Feb. 16, 1994)) establishes 
federal executive policy on environmental justice. Its main provision 
directs federal agencies, to the greatest extent practicable and 
permitted by law, to make environmental justice part of their mission 
by identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionately high 
and adverse human health or

[[Page 13136]]

environmental effects of their programs, policies and activities on 
minority populations and low-income populations in the United States.
    EPA has determined that this rule will not have disproportionately 
high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority or 
low-income populations. We believe there will be no negative 
environmental or economic impacts resulting from today's action 
compared to the February 26, 2007 rule this action modifies.

K. Congressional Review Act

    The Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the 
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally 
provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating 
the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule, 
to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the 
United States. EPA will submit a report containing this rule and other 
required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of 
Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior 
to publication of the rule in the Federal Register. A Major rule cannot 
take effect until 60 days after it is published in the Federal 
Register. This action is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 
804(2). This final rule will be effective on May 12, 2008.

Statutory Provisions and Legal Authority

    The statutory authority for the fuels controls in today's final 
rule can be found in sections 202 and 211(c) of the Clean Air Act 
(CAA), as amended. Support for any procedural and enforcement-related 
aspects of the fuel controls in today's rule, including recordkeeping 
requirements, comes from sections 114(a) and 301(a) of the CAA.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 80

    Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure, 
Air pollution control, Confidential business information, Fuel 
additives, Gasoline, Imports, Labeling, Motor vehicle fuel, Motor 
vehicle pollution, Penalties, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: March 6, 2008
Stephen L. Johnson,
Administrator.

0
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 40 CFR part 80 is amended as 
set forth below:

PART 80--REGULATION OF FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES

0
1. The authority citation for part 80 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7414, 7542, 7545 and 7601(a).


0
2. Section 80.1275 is amended as follows:
0
a. By adding paragraph (d)(1)(v).
0
b. By redesignating paragraph (d)(2) as paragraph (d)(3).
0
c. By adding paragraph (d)(2).


Sec.  80.1275  How are early benzene credits generated?

* * * * *
    (d) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (v) Providing for benzene alkylation.
    (2)(i) A refiner may petition EPA to approve, for purposes of 
paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the use of operational changes and/or 
improvements in benzene control technology that are not listed in 
paragraph (d)(1) of this section to reduce gasoline benzene levels at a 
refinery.
    (ii) The petition specified in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section 
must be sent to: U.S. EPA, NVFEL-ASD, Attn: MSAT2 Early Credit Benzene 
Reduction Technology, 2000 Traverwood Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48105.
    (iii) The petition specified in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section 
must show how the benzene control technology improvement or operational 
change results in a net reduction in the refinery's average gasoline 
benzene level, exclusive of benzene reductions due simply to blending 
practices.
    (iv) The petition specified in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section 
must be submitted to EPA prior to the start of the first averaging 
period in which the refinery plans to generate early credits.
    (v) The refiner must provide additional information as requested by 
EPA.
    (3) Has not included gasoline blendstock streams transferred to, 
from, or between refineries, except as noted in paragraph (d)(1)(iv) of 
this section.
* * * * *

 [FR Doc. E8-4917 Filed 3-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P