77828 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 240 / Wednesday, December 14, 2011 / Notices 

1 53 FR 3636, February 8, 1988. 

2 53 FR 17977, May 19, 1988. 

3 53 FR 43768, October 28, 1988. 

Meraux Refinery in St. Bernard Parish, 

Louisiana for the following reasons: (1) 

Murphy Oil did not provide information 

sufficient to evaluate the source and its 

application and to determine applicable 

requirements; (2) the netting analysis 

fails to include emergency flaring 

emissions; (3) the project triggers NSR 

review for sulfur dioxide and volatile 

organic compounds; and (4) the netting 

analyses relies on limitations that are 

not practically enforceable. 

On September 21, 2011, the 

Administrator issued an order granting 

in part and denying in part the petition. 

The order explains the reasons behind 

EPA’s decisions. 

Dated: December 5, 2011. 

Al Armendariz, 

Regional Administrator, Region 6. 

[FR Doc. 2011–32061 Filed 12–13–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[FRL–9506–4] 

Regulation of Fuel and Fuel Additives: 

Modification to Octamix Waiver 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: On February 1, 1988, the 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

conditionally granted a waiver 

requested by the Texas Methanol 

Corporation (Texas Methanol) for a 

gasoline-alcohol fuel, pursuant to 

section 211(f) of the Clean Air Act.1 A 

minor correction was made on May 12, 

1988.2 A modification to the original 

conditions was made on October 21, 

1988.3 Spirit of 21st Century LLC 

submitted a request to modify the 

waiver. The new request seeks approval 

on an alternative corrosion inhibitor, 

TXCeed, to be used within Texas 

Methanol’s gasoline-alcohol fuel, also 

known as OCTAMIX. EPA considers 

this to be a request for modification of 

the waiver under 211(f) of the Clean Air 

Act (Act). 

DATES: Comments or a request for a 

public hearing must be received on or 

before January 13, 2012. EPA does not 

plan to hold a public hearing on this 

notice, unless one is requested. If 

requested by December 29, 2011, a 

public hearing will be held. If such a 

hearing is held, comments must be 

received within 90 days after the date of 

such hearing. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

identified by Docket ID Number EPA– 

HQ–OAR–2011–0893, by one of the 

following methods: 

• http://www.regulations.gov: Follow 

the on-line instructions for submitting 

comments. 

• Email: a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov. 

• Fax: (202) 566–9744. 

• Mail: ‘‘EPA–HQ–OAR–2011–0893, 

Environmental Protection Agency, 

Mailcode: 2822T, 1301 Constitution 

Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.’’ 

• Hand Delivery: EPA Headquarters 

Library, Room 3334, EPA West 

Building, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., 

Washington, DC. Such deliveries are 

only accepted during the Docket’s 

normal hours of operation, and special 

arrangements should be made for 

deliveries of boxed information. 

Instructions: Direct your comments to 

Docket ID Number EPA–HQ–OAR– 

2011–0893. EPA’s policy is that all 

comments will be included in the 

public docket without change and may 

be made available online at http:// 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information provided, unless 

the comment includes information 

claimed to be Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) or other information 

whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 

Do not submit information that you 

consider to be CBI or otherwise 

protected through http:// 

www.regulations.gov or email. The 

http://www.regulations.gov Web site is 

an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which 

means EPA will not know your identity 

or contact information unless you 

provide it in the body of your comment. 

If you send an email comment directly 

to EPA without going through http:// 

www.regulations.gov your email address 

will be automatically captured and 

included as part of the comment that is 

placed in the public docket and made 

available on the Internet. If you submit 

an electronic comment, EPA 

recommends that you include your 

name and other contact information in 

the body of your comment and with any 

disk or CD–ROM you submit. If EPA 

cannot read your comment due to 

technical difficulties and cannot contact 

you for clarification, EPA may not be 

able to consider your comment. 

Electronic files should avoid the use of 

special characters, any form of 

encryption, and be free of any defects or 

viruses. For additional instructions on 

submitting comments, go to Unit 1.B of 

the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 

of this document: http://www.epa.gov/ 

epahome/dockets.htm. 

Docket: All documents in the docket 

are listed in the http:// 

www.regulations.gov index. Although 

listed in the index, some information is 

not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other 

information whose disclosure is 

restricted by statute. Certain other 

material, such as copyrighted material, 

will be publicly available only in hard 

copy. Publicly available docket 

materials are available either 

electronically in http:// 

www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at 

the Air Docket, EPA Headquarters 

Library, Mail Code: 2822T, EPA West 

Building, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., 

Washington, DC. The Public Reading 

Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 

p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding 

holidays. The Public Reading Room is 

open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, excluding 

holidays. The telephone number for the 

Public Reading Room is (202) 566–1742, 

and the facsimile number for the Air 

Docket is (202) 566–9744. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

information regarding this proposal 

contact, Joseph R. Sopata, U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 

Office of Air and Radiation, Office of 

Transportation and Air Quality, (202) 

343–9034. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Section 211(f)(1) of the Clean Air Act 

(‘‘CAA’’ or ‘‘the Act’’) makes it unlawful 

for any manufacturer of any fuel or fuel 

additive to first introduce into 

commerce, or to increase the 

concentration in use of, any fuel or fuel 

additive for use by any person in motor 

vehicles manufactured after model year 

1974, which is not substantially similar 

to any fuel or fuel additive utilized in 

the certification of any model year 1975, 

or subsequent model year, vehicle or 

engine under section 206 of the Act. The 

Environmental Protection Agency 

(‘‘EPA’’ or ‘‘the Agency’’) last issued an 

interpretive rule on the phrase 

‘‘substantially similar’’ at 73 FR 22281 

(April 25, 2008). Generally speaking, 

this interpretive rule describes the types 

of unleaded gasoline that are likely to be 

considered ‘‘substantially similar’’ to 

the unleaded gasoline utilized in EPA’s 

certification program by placing limits 

on a gasoline’s chemical composition as 

well as its physical properties, 

including the amount of alcohols and 

ethers (oxygenates) that may be added to 

gasoline. Fuels that are found to be 

‘‘substantially similar’’ to EPA’s 

certification fuels may be registered and 

introduced into commerce. The current 

‘‘substantially similar’’ interpretive rule 

for unleaded gasoline allows oxygen 

content up to 2.7 weight for certain 

ethers and alcohols. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 240 / Wednesday, December 14, 2011 / Notices 77829 

4OCTAMIX decision, 53 FR 3636 (February 8, 

1988). 

5The co-solvents are any one or a mixture of 

ethanol, propanols, butanols, pentanols, hexanols, 

heptanols and octanols with the following 

constraints; the ethanol, propanols and butanols or 

mixtures thereof must compose a minimum of 60 

percent by weight of the co-solvent mixture; a 

maximum limit of 40 percent by weight of the cosolvents mixture is placed on the pentanols, 

hexanols, heptanols and octanols; and the 

heptanols and octanols are limited to 5 percent by 

weight of the co-solvent mixture. 

6Additional conditions were the final fuel must 

meet ASTM volatility specifications contained in 

ASTM D439–85a, as well as phase separation 

conditions specified in ASTM D–2 Proposal P–176 

and Texas Methanol alcohol purity specifications. 

7 53 FR at 3637. 

8EPA–HQ–OAR–2011–0893–01. 

9EPA–HQ–OAR–2011–0893–02. 

10EPA–HQ–OAR–2011–0893–03. 

11 53 FR at 3637. 

12 53 FR at 3637. 

Section 211(f)(4) of the Act provides 

that upon application of any fuel or fuel 

additive manufacturer, the 

Administrator may waive the 

prohibitions of section 211(f)(1) if the 

Administrator determines that the 

applicant has established that the fuel or 

fuel additive, or a specified 

concentration thereof, will not cause or 

contribute to a failure of any emission 

control device or system (over the useful 

life of the motor vehicle, motor vehicle 

engine, nonroad engine or nonroad 

vehicle in which such device or system 

is used) to achieve compliance by the 

vehicle or engine with the emission 

standards to which it has been certified 

pursuant to sections 206 and 213(a) of 

the Act. The statute requires that the 

Administrator shall take final action to 

grant or deny an application after public 

notice and comment, within 270 days of 

receipt of the application. 

The Texas Methanol Corporation 

received a waiver under CAA section 

211(f)(4) for a gasoline-alcohol fuel 

blend, known as OCTAMIX,4 provided 

that the resultant fuel is composed of a 

maximum of 3.7 percent by weight fuel 

oxygen, a maximum of 5 percent by 

volume methanol, a minimum of 2.5 

percent by volume co-solvents 5 and 

42.7 milligrams per liter (mg/l) of 

Petrolite TOLAD MFA–10 corrosion 

inhibitor 6. In the OCTAMIX waiver, the 

Agency invited other corrosion inhibitor 

manufacturers to submit test data to 

establish, on a case-by-case basis, 

whether their fuel additive formulations 

are acceptable as alternatives to TOLAD 

MFA–10.7

II. Today’s Announcement 

On March 23, 2011, Spirit of 21st 

Century LLC requested EPA allow the 

use of its alternative corrosion inhibitor, 

TXCeed, in the OCTAMIX gasolinealcohol fuel blend which otherwise 

would not be allowed under the 

waiver.8 Spirit of 21st Century LLC 

subsequently followed up its March 

23rd request with additional 

information on May 17, 2011 and 

August 15, 2011.9 10 TXCeed is a fuel 

additive formulation consisting of a 

corrosion inhibitor. The physical 

properties of TXCeed are shown in 

Docket ID Number EPA–HQ–OAR– 

2011–0893. 

One of the major areas of concern to 

EPA in reviewing any waiver request is 

the problem of materials compatibility. 

Materials compatibility data could show 

a potential failure of fuel systems, 

emissions related parts and emission 

control parts from use of the fuel or fuel 

additive. Any failure could result in 

greater emissions that would cause or 

contribute to the engines or vehicles 

exceeding their emissions standards. 

Initially, Texas Methanol requested the 

use of TOLAD MFA–10 or an 

appropriate concentration of any other 

corrosion inhibitor such that the fuel 

will pass the National Association of 

Corrosion Engineer’s TM–01–72 (NACE 

RUST TEST). However, EPA concluded 

that compliance with the NACE Rust 

Test alone was not adequate in 

determining suitability of a corrosion 

inhibitor for use under the OCTAMIX 

waiver.11 The Agency decided, 

therefore, to look at corrosion inhibitors 

on a case-by-case basis to establish 

whether each formulation would be 

acceptable as an alternative to the 

formulation of the original corrosion 

inhibitor used in the OCTAMIX 

waiver.12

Therefore, pursuant to section 

211(f)(4), EPA will examine the data 

submitted by Spirit of 21st Century LLC, 

along with all comments received from 

interested parties, to determine whether 

use of the corrosion inhibitor, TXCeed, 

in place of the original corrosion 

inhibitor TOLAD MFA–10, would cause 

or contribute to vehicles or engines 

failing to meet their emissions standards 

when using OCTAMIX. If use of TXCeed 

does not cause or contribute to such 

failures, EPA will modify the OCTAMIX 

waiver to allow the use of TXCeed as an 

alternative corrosion inhibitor to 

TOLAD MFA–10. 

Dated: December 7, 2011. 

Gina McCarthy, 

Assistant Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2011–32056 Filed 12–13–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[FRL–9506–7; Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD– 

2011–0895] 

Draft Research Report: Investigation of 

Ground Water Contamination Near 

Pavillion, Wyoming 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice of Public Comment 

Period. 

SUMMARY: EPA is announcing a 45-day 

public comment period for the external 

review of the draft research report titled, 

‘‘Investigation of Ground Water 

Contamination near Pavillion, 

Wyoming.’’ The draft research report 

was prepared by the National Risk 

Management Research Laboratory 

(NRMRL), within the EPA Office of 

Research and Development (ORD), and 

EPA Region 8. EPA is releasing this 

draft research report solely for the 

purpose of pre-dissemination peer 

review. This draft research report has 

not been formally disseminated by EPA. 

It does not represent and should not be 

construed to represent any Agency 

policy or determination. Eastern 

Research Group, Inc. (ERG), an EPA 

contractor for external peer review, will 

convene an independent panel of 

experts for peer review of this draft 

research report. Public comments 

submitted during the public comment 

period will be made available to the 

peer review panel for consideration in 

their review. In preparing a final report, 

EPA will consider the recommendations 

of the peer review panel. 

DATES: The public comment period 

begins December 14, 2011, and ends 

January 27, 2011. Comments should be 

submitted to the docket or received in 

writing by EPA by January 27, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: The draft ‘‘Investigation of 

Ground Water Contamination near 

Pavillion, Wyoming’’ is available via the 

Internet on the EPA Region 8 home page 

under the Key Issues menu, Pavillion 

Groundwater Investigation at http:// 

www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/wy/ 

pavillion/. 

Comments may be submitted 

electronically via http:// 

www.regulations.gov, by email, by mail, 

by facsimile, or by hand delivery/ 

courier. Please follow the detailed 

instructions provided in the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of 

this notice. 

Additional Information: For 

information on the docket, http:// 

www.regulations.gov, or the public 

comment period, please contact the 

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