+--------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
| **[World Trade]{.smallcaps}**                    |                   |
|                                                  |                   |
| **[Organization]{.smallcaps}**                   |                   |
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
|                                                  |                   |
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
|                                                  | **                |
|                                                  | G/TBT/N/USA/185** |
|                                                  |                   |
|                                                  | 5 April 2006      |
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
|                                                  | (06-1614)         |
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
|                                                  |                   |
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
| **Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade**     | Original: English |
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------------+

NOTIFICATION

The following notification is being circulated in accordance with
Article 10.6.

+----+---------------------------+---+---------------------------------+
| ** | **Member to Agreement     |   |                                 |
| 1. | notifying:** [UNITED      |   |                                 |
| ** | STATES]{.underline}       |   |                                 |
|    |                           |   |                                 |
|    | **If applicable, name of  |   |                                 |
|    | local government involved |   |                                 |
|    | (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):** |   |                                 |
|    |                           |   |                                 |
+----+---------------------------+---+---------------------------------+
| ** | **Agency responsible:**   |   |                                 |
| 2. | Environmental Protection  |   |                                 |
| ** | Agency (EPA) (190)        |   |                                 |
|    |                           |   |                                 |
|    | **Name and address        |   |                                 |
|    | (including telephone and  |   |                                 |
|    | fax numbers, e-mail and   |   |                                 |
|    | web-site addresses, if    |   |                                 |
|    | available) of** **agency  |   |                                 |
|    | or authority designated   |   |                                 |
|    | to handle comments        |   |                                 |
|    | regarding the             |   |                                 |
|    | notification shall be     |   |                                 |
|    | indicated if different    |   |                                 |
|    | from above:**             |   |                                 |
+----+---------------------------+---+---------------------------------+
| ** | **Notified under Article  |   |                                 |
| 3. | 2.9.2 \[** X **\], 2.10.1 |   |                                 |
| ** | \[ **  **\], 5.6.2        |   |                                 |
|    | \[ **  **\], 5.7.1        |   |                                 |
|    | \[ **  **\], other:**     |   |                                 |
|    |                           |   |                                 |
+----+---------------------------+---+---------------------------------+
| ** | **Products covered (HS or |   |                                 |
| 4. | CCCN where applicable,    |   |                                 |
| ** | otherwise national tariff |   |                                 |
|    | heading.\                 |   |                                 |
|    | ICS numbers may be        |   |                                 |
|    | provided in addition,     |   |                                 |
|    | where applicable):**      |   |                                 |
|    | Gasoline and diesel fuel  |   |                                 |
|    | (HS: Chapter 2710) (ICS:  |   |                                 |
|    | 13, 75 )                  |   |                                 |
+----+---------------------------+---+---------------------------------+
| ** | **Title, number of pages  |   |                                 |
| 5. | and language(s) of the    |   |                                 |
| ** | notified document:**      |   |                                 |
|    | Regulation of Fuel and    |   |                                 |
|    | Fuel Additives: Gasoline  |   |                                 |
|    | and Diesel Fuel Test      |   |                                 |
|    | Methods (7 pages,         |   |                                 |
|    | English).                 |   |                                 |
+----+---------------------------+---+---------------------------------+
| ** | **Description of          |   |                                 |
| 6. | content:** The            |   |                                 |
| ** | Environmental Protection  |   |                                 |
|    | Agency (EPA) is proposing |   |                                 |
|    | to allow refiners and     |   |                                 |
|    | laboratories to use more  |   |                                 |
|    | current and improved fuel |   |                                 |
|    | testing procedures for    |   |                                 |
|    | five American Society for |   |                                 |
|    | Testing and Materials     |   |                                 |
|    | (ASTM) analytical test    |   |                                 |
|    | methods. Once these test  |   |                                 |
|    | method changes are        |   |                                 |
|    | adopted, they will        |   |                                 |
|    | supersede the             |   |                                 |
|    | corresponding earlier     |   |                                 |
|    | versions of these test    |   |                                 |
|    | methods in EPA\'s motor   |   |                                 |
|    | vehicle fuel regulations. |   |                                 |
|    | EPA is also proposing to  |   |                                 |
|    | take action to change the |   |                                 |
|    | designated test method    |   |                                 |
|    | for sulfur in butane. EPA |   |                                 |
|    | is proposing to replace   |   |                                 |
|    | an approved ASTM          |   |                                 |
|    | Committee D.16 sulfur     |   |                                 |
|    | test method with the ASTM |   |                                 |
|    | Committee D.02 version of |   |                                 |
|    | the test method for       |   |                                 |
|    | gasoline and diesel fuel, |   |                                 |
|    | and proposing to allow an |   |                                 |
|    | additional ASTM test      |   |                                 |
|    | method for sulfur in      |   |                                 |
|    | gasoline. EPA is also     |   |                                 |
|    | proposing to remove a 1   |   |                                 |
|    | September 2004 sunset     |   |                                 |
|    | provision for two         |   |                                 |
|    | alternative ASTM test     |   |                                 |
|    | methods for gasoline.     |   |                                 |
|    | Finally, EPA is proposing |   |                                 |
|    | to add a new section to   |   |                                 |
|    | the motor vehicle fuels   |   |                                 |
|    | regulations. This new     |   |                                 |
|    | section would reference   |   |                                 |
|    | the rounding method in an |   |                                 |
|    | ASTM standard practice as |   |                                 |
|    | the procedure to follow   |   |                                 |
|    | for rounding a test       |   |                                 |
|    | result when determining   |   |                                 |
|    | compliance with EPA\'s    |   |                                 |
|    | motor vehicle fuels       |   |                                 |
|    | standards listed in the   |   |                                 |
|    | regulations. In the Rules |   |                                 |
|    | and Regulations section   |   |                                 |
|    | of this Federal Register, |   |                                 |
|    | we are taking direct      |   |                                 |
|    | final rule action on the  |   |                                 |
|    | proposed amendments       |   |                                 |
|    | because we view these     |   |                                 |
|    | amendments as             |   |                                 |
|    | non-controversial and     |   |                                 |
|    | anticipate no adverse     |   |                                 |
|    | comments. We have         |   |                                 |
|    | explained our reasons for |   |                                 |
|    | the amendments in the     |   |                                 |
|    | preamble to the direct    |   |                                 |
|    | final rule.               |   |                                 |
|    |                           |   |                                 |
|    | The associated "direct    |   |                                 |
|    | final rule" full text is  |   |                                 |
|    | available online at URLs: |   |                                 |
|    |                           |   |                                 |
|    | http://a257.g.akam        |   |                                 |
|    | aitech.net/7/257/2422/01j |   |                                 |
|    | an20061800/edocket.access |   |                                 |
|    | .gpo.gov/2006/06-3133.htm |   |                                 |
|    |                           |   |                                 |
|    | http://a257.g.akamaite    |   |                                 |
|    | ch.net/7/257/2422/01jan20 |   |                                 |
|    | 061800/edocket.access.gpo |   |                                 |
|    | .gov/2006/pdf/06-3133.pdf |   |                                 |
+----+---------------------------+---+---------------------------------+
| ** | **Objective and           |   |                                 |
| 7. | rationale, including the  |   |                                 |
| ** | nature of urgent problems |   |                                 |
|    | where applicable:**       |   |                                 |
|    | Protection of the         |   |                                 |
|    | environment               |   |                                 |
+----+---------------------------+---+---------------------------------+
| ** | **Relevant documents:**   |   |                                 |
| 8. | 71 Federal Register (FR)  |   |                                 |
| ** | 16535 3 April 2006; Title |   |                                 |
|    | 40 Code of Federal        |   |                                 |
|    | Regulations (CFR) Part    |   |                                 |
|    | 80. Will appear in the    |   |                                 |
|    | Federal Register when     |   |                                 |
|    | adopted.                  |   |                                 |
+----+---------------------------+---+---------------------------------+
| ** | **Proposed date of        |   | To be determined                |
| 9. | adoption:**               |   |                                 |
| ** |                           |   |                                 |
|    | **Proposed date of entry  |   |                                 |
|    | into force:**             |   |                                 |
+----+---------------------------+---+---------------------------------+
| *  | **Final date for          |   |                                 |
| *1 | comments:** 3 May 2006    |   |                                 |
| 0. |                           |   |                                 |
| ** |                           |   |                                 |
+----+---------------------------+---+---------------------------------+
| *  | **Texts available from:   |   |                                 |
| *1 | National enquiry point    |   |                                 |
| 1. | \[** X **\] or address,   |   |                                 |
| ** | telephone and fax         |   |                                 |
|    | numbers, e-mail and       |   |                                 |
|    | web-site addresses, if    |   |                                 |
|    | available of the other    |   |                                 |
|    | body:**                   |   |                                 |
|    |                           |   |                                 |
|    | Full Texts are Now        |   |                                 |
|    | Available on the Internet |   |                                 |
|    | at URLs:                  |   |                                 |
|    |                           |   |                                 |
|    | http://a257.g.akam        |   |                                 |
|    | aitech.net/7/257/2422/01j |   |                                 |
|    | an20061800/edocket.access |   |                                 |
|    | .gpo.gov/2006/06-3132.htm |   |                                 |
|    |                           |   |                                 |
|    | http://a257.g.akamaite    |   |                                 |
|    | ch.net/7/257/2422/01jan20 |   |                                 |
|    | 061800/edocket.access.gpo |   |                                 |
|    | .gov/2006/pdf/06-3132.pdf |   |                                 |
+----+---------------------------+---+---------------------------------+