. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/USA/185 
5 April 2006 
 (06-1614) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   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:         
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or 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 )   
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Regulation of Fuel 
and Fuel Additives:  Gasoline and Diesel Fu el Test Methods (7 pages, English). 
6. Description of content:   The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to 
allow refiners and laboratories to use more cu rrent 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 mo tor vehicle fuel regulations. EPA is also 
proposing to take action to change the designate d 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 me thod 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 proposin g 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 follo w for rounding a test result when determining 
compliance with EPA's motor vehicle fuels sta ndards 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 th ese amendments as non-controversial and 
anticipate no adverse comments. We have explai ned 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.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/06-
3133.htm 
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/
06-3133.pdf G/TBT/N/USA/185 
Page 2  
 
  7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of the environment 
8. Relevant documents:   71 Federal Register (FR) 16535 3 April 2006; Title 40 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 80. Will app ear in the Federal Register when adopted. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:   }To be determined 
10. Final date for comments:   3 May 2006 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  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.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/06-
3132.htm 
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/
06-3132.pdf