. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/USA/194 
7 June 2006 
 (06-2708) 
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) (201) 
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.  S 
numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Fuel and fuel additives 
(HS:  Chapter 2710;  ICS:  13). 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Regulation of Fuel 
and Fuel Additives:  Refiner and Importe r Quality Assurance Requirements for 
Downstream Oxygenate Blending  and Requirements for Pipeline Interface (12  Pages, in 
English). 
6. Description of content:   This proposed rule would amend the reformulated gasoline (RFG) 
regulations to allow refiners and importers  of reformulated gasoline blendstock for 
oxygenate blending, or RBOB, the option to use an alternative method of fulfilling a 
regulatory requirement to conduct quality assu rance sampling and testing at downstream 
oxygenate blending facilities.  This alternative method consists of a comprehensive program 
of quality assurance sampling and testing that  would cover all terminals that blend 
oxygenate with RBOB in a specified reformul ated gasoline covered area.  The program 
would be carried out by an independent surv eyor funded by industry.  The program would 
be conducted pursuant to a survey plan, approve d by EPA, that is calculated to achieve the 
same objectives as the current regul atory quality assurance requirement. 
This proposed rule also would largely codi fy existing guidance for compliance by parties 
that handle pipeline interface with requi rements for gasoline content standards, 
recordkeeping, sampling and testing.  The propo sed rule also contains new provisions which 
would provide additional flexibility to these re gulated parties.  The proposed rule would 
also establish gasoline sulfur standards for transmix processors and blenders that are 
consistent with the sulfur standards for othe r entities, such as pipelines and terminals, that 
are downstream of refineries in the gasoline distribution system, and would clarify the requirements for transmix processors under the Mobile Source Air Toxics program. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of Environment. G/TBT/N/USA/194 
Page 2  
 
  8. Relevant documents:   71 Federal Register (FR) 3 2015 2 June 2006;  Title 40 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 80.  Will a ppear 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 July 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:   
Internet URLs: 
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/06-
5050.htm  
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/
06-5050.pdf