The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency late Thursday notified the Governors of 13 states and the District of Colombia it has issued a waiver from federal Clean Air Act provisions requiring the use of reformulated gasoline (RFG) in portions of these areas, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania as a result of the Colonial Pipeline failure in Alabama.

The EPA waiver also includes combining any RFG blendstock for oxygenate blending with any other gasoline, blendstock, or oxygenate, unless certain conditions are met in Pennsylvania and other areas.

The waiver is effective immediately and will continue through November 23, 2016.

After November 23, 2016, refiners and importers may not produce or import gasoline that does not meet the RFG standards for distribution in the Affected RFG Covered Areas.

However, any CG for use in the Affected RFG Covered Areas that is in the distribution system on November 23, 2016, may be distributed and sold until the supply is depleted. CG that is in the possession of parties other than retailers and wholesale purchaser-consumers must meet the RFG requirements by no later than December 23, 2016. Retailers and wholesale purchaser-consumers may continue selling or dispensing CG until their supplies are depleted.

EPA will continue to work with the DOE and affected states to monitor the impact of the pipeline failure on the fuel supply situation. Should conditions warrant, this waiver may be modified, terminated or extended, as appropriate.

The waiver covers portions of Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

A copy of the waiver notice to the Governors is available online.

(Photo: WHNT19, October 31.)

NewsClips:

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October: Colonial Pipeline Supplying Gasoline To NE Explodes Again In Alabama

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East Coast Fuel Prices Spike After Alabama Pipeline Explosion

Alabama Pipeline Blast Sparks Worries About Gasoline Prices

September: Colonial Pipeline Break Spills 250K Gallons In Alabama

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11/7/2016