Regulatory Announcement

EPA Approves Request from Alabama 

to Relax the Summer Gasoline 

Volatility Standard for the 

Birmingham Area 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a 

final rule to relax the federal Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) standard 

applicable to gasoline introduced into commerce in Jefferson and Shelby counties, Alabama (“the Birmingham area”). This change applies 

during the summer ozone season which runs from June 1 to September 15 of each year. This action amends our regulations to relax the 

summer ozone season RVP gasoline standard for the Birmingham area 

from 7.8 pounds per square inch (psi) to 9.0 psi. The state of Alabama’s request demonstrates that this change would not interfere with 

maintenance of the applicable national ambient air quality standards 

(NAAQS) in the Birmingham area or with any other applicable 

requirement of the Clean Air Act. 

Key Elements of the Final Rule 

•	 This rule relaxes the volatility requirements for gasoline sold in the Birming-	

ham area as described above, during the summer ozone season which runs

from June 1 to September 15 of each year. Specifically, this rulemaking amends

the federal RVP gasoline standard for the Birmingham area from 7.8 psi to

9.0 psi provided at 40 CFR 80.27(a)(2).

•	 This rulemaking is based on the EPA’s previous approval of Alabama’s state

implementation plan (SIP) revision. The SIP revision demonstrated that

relaxing the federal RVP gasoline requirement from 7.8 psi to 9.0 psi during

the summer ozone season in the Birmingham area would not interfere with

continued maintenance of the 1997 ozone NAAQS or any other applicable

NAAQS, including the 2008 ozone NAAQS. Alabama submitted the SIP

Office of Transportation and Air Quality 

EPA-420-F-15-014a 

June 2015 
Regulatory Announcement

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	 	 	

 

revision with the noninterference demonstration to the EPA on November 14, 2014.

The EPA approved the SIP revision on April 17, 2015 (80 FR 21170).

•	 Relaxing the volatility requirements for gasoline sold in the Birmingham area is beneficial

because this action will improve the fungibility of gasoline in the Birmingham area. In

other words, when this rule becomes effective and is implemented, the gasoline sold in

the Birmingham area will be identical to the fuel sold now in the rest of Alabama. For

motorists, the change, once implemented, in summertime gasoline volatility specifications

will be virtually unnoticed.

Background 

In 1987, the EPA determined that gasoline nationwide had become increasingly volatile, causing

an increase in evaporative emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles and equipment. Evaporative

emissions from gasoline, referred to as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are precursors to

the formation of tropospheric ozone and contribute to the nation’s ground-level ozone problem.

Ground-level ozone causes health problems, including damaged lung tissue, reduced lung function,

and lung sensitization to other pollutants.

The most common measure of fuel volatility is RVP. To provide for cleaner air and greater public

health protection, the EPA enforces maximum limits on the RVP of gasoline sold during the

summer ozone season which runs from June 1 to September 15 of each year. Specifically, the

EPA’s regulations at 40 CFR 80.27(a)(2) establish maximum RVP standards of 9.0 psi or 7.8 psi

depending on the state, the month, and the area’s initial ozone designation with respect to the

ozone NAAQS during the summer ozone season.

In order to relax the applicable federal RVP standard in an area where the more stringent federal

RVP of 7.8 psi is required, an area must be designated as (or redesignated to) attainment. The

area must also submit a maintenance plan demonstrating continued attainment of the ozone

NAAQS with the less stringent RVP standard in place.

The Birmingham area has an approved 10-year maintenance plan for the 1997 ozone NAAQS

and is designated as unclassifiable/attainment for the 2008 ozone NAAQS. As described above,

the Birmingham area has demonstrated that it will continue to attain the ozone NAAQS, and

any other applicable NAAQS, after the RVP standard has been relaxed from 7.8 psi to 9.0 psi

during the summer ozone season.

For More Information 

You can access the rule and related documents on the EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air

Quality Web site at:

www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/gasolinefuels/volatility/index.htm 

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Regulatory Announcement

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	

	 	

	 	 	 	 	

	 	

	 	 	

		

For further information on this final rule, please contact:

Patty Klavon

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Transportation and Air Quality

2000 Traverwood Drive

Ann Arbor, MI 48105

734-214-4476

E-mail: klavon.patty@epa.gov

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