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[Federal Register: February 19, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 33)]
[Proposed Rules]               
[Page 7426-7428]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19fe10-22]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 80, 85, and 86

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0052; FRL-9113-8]
 RIN 2060-AI23; 2060-AQ12

 
Tier 2 Light-Duty Vehicle and Light-Duty Truck Emission Standards 
and Gasoline Sulfur Control Requirements (Section 610 Review)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

[[Page 7427]]


ACTION: Request for comments on Regulatory Flexibility Act Section 610 
Review.

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SUMMARY: On February 10, 2000 (65 FR 6698), EPA published emission 
standards for light-duty vehicles and light-duty trucks requiring 
vehicle manufacturers to reduce tailpipe emissions. Specifically, EPA 
sought to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides and non-methane 
hydrocarbons, pollutants which contribute to ozone pollution. The 
rulemaking also required oil refiners to limit the sulfur content of 
the gasoline they produce. Sulfur in gasoline has a detrimental impact 
on catalyst performance and the sulfur requirements have enabled the 
introduction of advanced technology emission control systems on motor 
vehicles.
    Pursuant to Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, EPA is 
now initiating a review of this rule to determine if the provisions 
related to small entities should be continued without change, or should 
be rescinded or amended to minimize adverse economic impacts on small 
entities.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 22, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2010-0052, by one of the following methods:
    www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for 
submitting comments.
     E-mail: a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov.
     Fax: 202-566-9744.
     Mail: Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0052, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail code 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0052, 
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20004. 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 No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2010-0052. The EPA's policy is that all comments received will be 
included in the public docket without change and may be made available 
online at 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 www.regulations.gov 
or e-mail. The 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 e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through 
www.regulations.gov, your e-mail 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.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the 
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 www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Air and Radiation Docket 
and Information Center, EPA/DC, EPA West, Room 3334, 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 legal holidays. The 
telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744 and the 
telephone number for the Air and Radiation Docket and Information 
Center is (202) 566-1742.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tad Wysor, Office of Transportation 
and Air Quality, Assessment and Standards Division, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; 
telephone number: (734) 214-4332; fax number (734) 214-4816; e-mail 
address: wysor.tad@epa.gov, or Assessment and Standards Division 
Hotline; telephone number (734) 214-4636; e-mail address 
asdinfo@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Agency published the Tier 2 Motor 
Vehicle Emissions Standards and Gasoline Sulfur Control Requirements 
rule (Tier 2 Program) on February 10, 2000 (65 FR 6698). The program 
significantly reduced emissions related to ozone and particulate matter 
from new passenger cars and light trucks, including pickup trucks, 
vans, minivans, and sport-utility vehicles. The program also required 
refiners to significantly reduce the level of sulfur in their gasoline.
    The Tier 2 program required vehicle manufacturers to reduce new 
vehicle emissions, primarily nitrogen oxide, volatile organic 
compounds, and particulate matter. Included as `manufacturers' were 
several companies that convert gasoline vehicles to operate on 
alternative fuel, and several that import vehicles into the U.S. and 
upgrade their emission control systems to EPA specifications. Most of 
these companies are small entities, and a SBREFA panel recommended that 
EPA provide special flexibility to these types of vehicle 
manufacturers. In the final rule, EPA adopted these recommendations, 
including providing more time before the companies' vehicles were 
required to meet the emission standards otherwise applicable to larger 
manufacturers.
    The Tier 2 program also required oil refiners to produce gasoline 
with much-reduced content of sulfur, primarily to protect the improved 
catalyst systems anticipated on new Tier 2 vehicles. An informal 
coalition of small refining companies formed to participate in the 
rulemaking and the SBREFA panel. In this case as well, EPA adopted 
recommendations of the small refiners, providing more lead time for 
meeting the gasoline sulfur requirements.
    This notice announces that EPA will review the provisions of this 
regulation related to small entities pursuant to section 610 of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 610). EPA solicits comments 
on the following factors: (1) The continued need for the rule; (2) the 
Nature of complaints or comments received concerning the rule; (3) the 
complexity of the rule; (4) the extent to which the rule overlaps, 
duplicates, or conflicts with other Federal, State, or local government 
rules; and (5) the degree to which technology, economic conditions, or 
other factors have changed in the area affected by the rule.
    Comments must be received by March 22, 2010. In submitting 
comments, please reference Docket ID number EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0052, and 
follow the instructions provided in the Addresses section of this 
notice. The results of EPA's review will be summarized in a report and 
placed in the rulemaking docket referenced above. This docket can be 
accessed at http://www.regulations.gov.


[[Page 7428]]


    Dated: February 12, 2010.
Alexander Cristofaro,
Director, Office of Regulatory Policy and Management.
[FR Doc. 2010-3249 Filed 2-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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