The Environmental Quality Board published notice in the September 26 PA Bulletin of proposed regulations eliminating Stage II gasoline vapor recovery requirements for gasoline stations and add a vapor leak monitoring requirement for small gasoline storage tanks for public comment. 

The Stage II vapor controls are no longer needed because vehicles are now equipped with onboard refueling vapor recovery systems.

The regulation would apply to the five-county Philadelphia area-- Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties-- and the seven- county Pittsburgh area--  Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

Philadelphia and Allegheny counties, which have their own air quality programs, plan to adopt similar changes to their regulations.

The Board has scheduled three virtual public hearings on the proposal for--

-- October 27: 2:30 p.m.

-- October 28: 6:00 p.m.

-- October 29: 2:00 p.m.

Instructions on how to join the hearing will be posted on the Board webpage.

Background documents related to the regulation are posted on the Board webpage under the May, 2020 meeting.

Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for more information on how to submit comments.

For more information, visit the Environmental Quality Board webpage.  Questions should be directed to Jessica Shirley, DEP Policy Director, 717-772-5643 or jesshirley@pa.gov.

[Posted: Sept. 25, 2020]

9/28/2020