In accordance with the federal Clean Air Act (CAA), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes fuel quality standards to help protect public health and the environment from harmful gaseous and particulate emissions from motor vehicles and engines.

EPA issued standards in 1973 which called for a gradual phasedown of lead to reduce the health risks from lead emissions from gasoline.  Beginning in 1989, EPA required gasoline to meet volatility standards (in two phases) to decrease evaporative emissions of gasoline in the summer months.  Upon passage of the 1990 CAA amendments, EPA began monitoring the winter oxygenated fuels program implemented by the states to help control emissions of carbon monoxide.  It also established the reformulated gasoline (RFG) program which is designed to reduce emissions of smog-forming and toxic pollutants.  EPA also set requirements for gasoline to be treated with detergents and deposit control additives.  More recently, EPA has set standards for low sulfur gasoline and low sulfur diesel which will help ensure the effectiveness of low emission-control technologies in vehicles and reduce harmful air pollution.

Contact:  Barry Garelick, phone:  (202) 564-9028, email:  garelick.barry@epa.gov

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Fuels Programs and Regulations

• Gasoline Fuels
• Diesel Fuel
• Alternative/Clean Fuels (including methanol, compressed natural gas, electric)
• Air Toxic Emissions ("MSAT")
• Registration and Health Effects Testing
• Fuels Reporting Forms

Related Topics

Resources

• Fact Sheets
• Congressional Testimony
• Fuels Reporting Forms and Electronic Data Interchange Guidance
• Guidance on Cetane Improvement Programs (253K PDF, 32pp.)  EPA420-B-04-005, June, 2004
• Archived / Historical Documents
• Staff Contact List by Fuels Topics

Links

• Other EPA Sites
• External Links

Fact Sheets on Fuel Issues

• Reformulated Gasoline fact sheets
• MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether)
• Alternative/Clean Fuels Fact Sheets (methanol, natural gas, electric, etc.)
• Comments on the Gasoline Additive MMT (methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl)
• Archived Fact Sheets

Congressional Testimony

Testimony presented by EPA before US Congress on various fuels issues including reformulated gasoline (RFG), boutique fuels, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), and gasoline prices.

• Testimony on the role of RFG, EPA's efforts to respond to the President's Energy Policy regarding boutique fuels, and on-going actions to address the use of MTBE as a gasoline additive.  Presented by Jeffrey Holmstead, EPA Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, before the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on November 1, 2001. 89K PDF

• Testimony on the role of RFG, comments to an initiative related to "boutique fuels" contained in the National Energy Policy, and EPA's decision regarding California's request for waiver of oxygen content in RFG.  Presented by Linda Fisher, EPA Deputy Administrator, before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on June 21, 2001.  103K PDF
• Testimony on the role of RFG, comments to an initiative related to "boutique fuels" contained in the National Energy Policy, and steps taken by Administrator Whitman to make the clean gasoline program more efficient and effective.  Presented by Rob Brenner, EPA Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, before the House Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Natural Resources and Regulatory Affairs on June 14, 2001. 57K PDF
• Testimony on gasoline prices by Robert Perciasepe, EPA Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, before the House Committee on the Judiciary (June 28, 2000).  101K PDF
• Testimony on the Clinton Adminstration's recommendations and plans to reduce or eliminate the use of MTBE and boost the use alternatives like ethanol .  Presented by Robert Perciasepe, EPA Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry on April 11, 2000.  75K PDF
• Testimony on environmental benefits of RFG, update regarding the Agency's efforts to move forward on the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Panel and future steps to address oxygenates issues, and the status of California's request to waive the oxygen content requirement.  Presented by Robert Perciasepe, EPA Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, before the Subcommittee on Health and Environment of the House Committee on Commerce on March 2, 2000.  66K PDF
• Testimony on the environmental benefits of RFG and future steps that should be taken to address issues regarding the use of oxygenates in the program.  Presented by Margo T. Oge, EPA Director, Office of Mobile Sources, before the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment of the Committee on Science on September, 14, 1999.  59K PDF
• Testimony on environmental benefits of RFG program, and issues raised by H.R. 630 which would potentially exempt CA gasoline in the federal RFG areas from the federal RFG requirements (e.g., 2% oxygen).  Presented by Richard D. Wilson, EPA Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, before the House Subcommittee on Health and Environment, Committee on Commerce on April 22, 1998.  62K PDF
• Testimony on environmental benefits of RFG and issues raised by S. 1576 which would potentially exempt CA gasoline in the federal RFG areas from the federal RFG requirements (e.g., 2% oxygen content).  Presented by Margo T. Oge, EPA Director, Director of the Office of Mobile Sources, Office of Air and Radiation, before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on September 16, 1998.  65K PDF
• Testimony on EPA activities to address environmental issues associated with MTBE.  Presented by Cynthia C. Dougherty, EPA Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on December 9, 1997 in Sacramento, California. 71K PDF

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Archive
This site contains some outdated information but is still a valuable reference on oxygenated fuels, reformulated gasoline, California Pilot Program, Clean Fuel Fleet Vehicle Program, and Transit Bus Provisions.

• Vehicle Fuels and the 1990 Clean Air Act (EPA 400-F-92-015, August 1994)  40K PDF.

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Other EPA Sites

• Mobile Source Air Toxic (MSAT) Emissions home page  Contains regulations, reports, and guidances regarding air toxic emissions from motor vehicles.  On March 29, 2001, EPA promulgated new regulations setting standards for gasoline toxics performance levels.  These MSAT regulations require each refinery and importer to meet refinery/importer-specific compliance baselines for conventional and reformulated gasolines.  To determine these compliance baselines, refineries and importers need to apply to EPA for a toxics baseline.
• EPA "Green Book" Listing of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) Non-Attainment Areas.  Lists of areas of the country where air pollution levels persistently exceed the national standards.
• National Air Pollution Emission Trends.  Clearinghouse for emission inventories and emission factors (includes models and software).
• Real-Time Air Pollution Data.  Provides air quality forecasts for each state.
• Plain English Guide to the Clean Air Act
• Clean Air Act and Amendments
• Federal Register.  Provides notices of fuel-related regulations promulgated by EPA.

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External Links 

• Code of Federal Regulations - Title 40 CFR Part 79

Regulations for the registration of gasoline and diesel fuels and fuel additives, including detergent additives.
This link is to the Government Printing Office's site.
• Code of Federal Regulations - Title 40 CFR Part 80

Regulations for fuels and fuel additives, including reformulated and conventional gasoline.
This link is to the Government Printing Office's site.
• Energy Information Administration

U.S. Department of Energy
EIA is a statistical agency which provides independent data, forecasts, and analyses (e.g. prices, production volumes) for gasoline, diesel, alternative fuels, etc.
• California Air Resources Board (CARB)- Fuels Program

Provides information on CARB's fuels efforts including:  1) adopting and enforcing fuel specifications, and 2) controlling emissions from marketing and distributing fuels in California.
California Environmental Protection Agency
• Environment Canada - Oil, Gas and Energy Branch (OGEB)
  Environment Canada's center of technical expertise for the upstream and downstream petroleum sectors, the electric power sector and for stationary combustion sources such as furnaces, boilers and gas turbines.  OGEB is the source of advice within the department on environmental releases and emissions, remediation technologies, pollution prevention measures and sustainable development strategies for these sectors. 

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