On June 28, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved the request of the Allegheny County Health Department to permanently eliminate the low-RVP summer gasoline requirement that routinely increased gasoline prices in Western Pennsylvania by 10 to 15 cents.

            The permanent elimination will not take effect until it is published in the Federal Register in about 2 weeks.

“This rule demonstrates EPA’s commitment to working with Pennsylvania and local partners for cleaner, healthier air for Allegheny County residents,” said EPA Regional Administrator Cosmo Servidio.  “We moved as expeditiously as federal regulations allow to finalize this rule, which puts Allegheny County back on equal footing with neighboring areas.”

The counties surrounding Allegheny no longer have to use low-RVP gasoline based on a request from the Department of Environmental Protection approved by EPA in December.

On June 27, EPA also approved the request of the County Health Department to extend its waiver of the low-RVP gasoline requirement for Allegheny County until July 15 to cover the interim period until notice of the permanent elimination is published.

EPA first waived the low-RVP gasoline requirement on May 29 when the Buckeye Laurel Pipeline failed. 

EPA said while testing of the pipeline is now completed, shipments of compliant fuel cannot begin until July 2, at the earliest, and at least 10 days of travel time will be required to resupply the affected terminals, with additional time needed for distribution throughout the area.

Click Here for a copy of the new waiver.

NewsClips:

Good News For Allegheny County Consumers: No More Summer Gas

Allegheny County Now Officially Exempt From Summer Gas

[Posted: June 29, 2019]

7/1/2019