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### Document

Number: 

# 48 ) ll-D-2 0 Docket Number: 

# A-87-1 1

Printed 11/6/20083:12:45PM

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JOH N 0 OINGEU . MICHIGAN . CHAIRMA N HO N WYOEN , OREGO N DENNI S E ECHARTOHI O JI U SLATTERYKANSA S GERR YSIHORS U MINNESOT A RIC K10UCHE R VIRGINI A JI M COOPER . TENNESSE E THOMA S A . LUKEN . OHI O OOU Q WALGREN . "INNSnVANl A MKMAH . " . tAeeeTTT . JH CKTU * eosmsaytXAfs MMCTO *

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### Jul y17 , 198 7

Th e Honorabl e WendyL . Gram m Administrato r Informatio nand Regulator yAffair s Offic e o f Managemen t an d Budge t Ol d Executiv e Offic e Buildin g Washington , D . C . 2050 3 Dea r Mrs . Gramm : I tak e thi s opportunit yt o confir mm yCounsel' s telephon e conversatio n o f yesterda ywit hyo u regardin g th e statu s o f th e • Environmenta l Protectio n Agency' s (EPA ) Re d Borde r rule s o n gasolin e refuelin g and volatility , th e statu s o f you r agency' s respons e t o m

ylette r o f Jun e 29 , 1987 , and mos t importantly , th e unresolved , bu t extremel yserious , safet yissues . A s yo u know , the repl yt o m ylette r i s du e today . Generally , I woul d no t b e a s insisten t o n a promp t reply . How
ever , ther e ar e rumor s tha t nex t wee k Mr . Thoma s plan s t o announc e th e proposa l o f thes e rule s i n th e Federa l Register , eve n thoug hth e safet yissu e i s unresolved . I hop e th e rumor s ar e unfounded . I canno t stres s to o muc hth e concer n I hav e abou t th e safet y issue . I n m

yjudgment , EPA , i n it s grea t desir e t o sho wactio n i n th e are a o f nonattainment , ha s faile d miserabl yt o addres s thi s consume r issu e a s require d b ylaw . EPAdi d no t solici t comment s fromth e industry . I di d an d receive d the mrathe r promptl ya s shown b yth e enclose d letter s fromToyot a and Jaguar . Eve n thes e letter s (an d earlie r letter s b yth e manufacturers ) ar e subdue d becaus e thes e firm s undoubtedl yar e concerne d tha t wha t the ysaymay

b e use d agains t the mi n futur e produc t liabilit y typ e cases . Enclose d als o i s a For d Moto r Companypres s re thi s mornin g concernin g ambulances . I n th e releas e tha t becaus e o f th e ne w"stringen t tailpip e emissi o fo r mode l yea r 198 8 requirin g catalyti c converters , longe r knowingl yprovid e incomplet e gasolin e vehic l wit hsuc hconverter s fo r ambulanc e purpose s becaus e concerns . Communitie s wil l hav e t o resor t t o dise l b e mor e costly , I understand . I canno t hel p bu t w o exten t EPA , i n consultatio n wit hNHTSA , examine d th concern s i n settin g thos e standards . Clearly , thi s believe s i t shoul d no t happe nagain . leas e issue d

, For d state s nstandards " For d wil l n o e s equippe d o f safet y s whic hwil l nde r t o wha t es e safet y Subcommitte eTh e Honorabl e WendyL . Gram m Pag e 2 P. 3

Th e Nationa l Highwa yTraffi c Safet yAdministratio n(NHTSA ) raise d question s o n Jun e 1 1 and I aske d EPAt o respond . EPAha s no t don e so . Enclose d i s a lette r I sen t t o Convenienc e Store s i n whic hI said : th e Nationa l Associatio n o f

Pleas e observ e tha t NHTS Astate s "tha t ther e wil l b e som e unquantifiable , increase d risk s o f cras hand non-cras hfir e associated " tha t "th e reduc e thes e risks, " wit h onboar d controls " and tha t "th e provisio no f adequat e leadtim e coul d hel p t o reduc e thes e risks, " bu t no t necessaril yeliminat e the m (underlinin g supplied) . NHTSA' s lette r ask s many question s abou t th e EPAsafet yanalysi s whic hhav e no t bee n answered . Vehicl e occurrences , injure . Yo u the yar e wher e governmen t

fire s ar e no t necessaril yeveryda y Bu t whe nthe yhappen , the ykil l and badl y d o no t hav e t o se e manyt o realiz e tha t horrendous . T o me , thi s i s no t a situatio n

(Stat e o r Federal ) ca n affor d t o b e wrong . You r Associatio n ma yb e satisfie d wit hth e ide a o f tryin g t o "balanc e o r compromis e betwee nris k and desig ncriteria, " bu t I amno t and I gathe r tha t NHTSA , a t least , share s m yconcern . Onl yyesterday , i n th e Washingto n area , th e new s medi a report s tha t fiv e peopl e wer e kille d i na fierycrash . I d o no t kno wth e detail s o f th e fire , bu t gasolin e fe d it . matte r urg e th e Administratio n

i s solved . no t t o issu e thes e rule s unti l th e I amprovidin g a cop yo f thi s lette r t o Vic e Presiden t Bus h and t o th e Whit e Hous e Chie f o f Staff , Senato r Bake r (wh o wa s a confere e i n197 7 wit hme whe n i-h e safet yprovisio no f th e Ac t wa s added) , a s I believ e thi s vita l consume r safet yissu e require s th e highes t attentio ni nth e Administration . I t wil l b e addresse d 21 , 198 7 agai n b you r Subcommitte e a t it s hearin g o nSeptembe r I a mals o askin g th e Nationa l Transportatio nSafet yBoar d t o examin e thes e safet yissues . Wit hbes t wishes .

JOHND . DINGEL L Cha i rma n Subcommitte e o n Oversigh t and Investigation s Enclosure sP. 4

Th e Honorabl e Wend yL . Gram m Pag e 3

cc : The Honorabl e Thoma s J . Bliley , Jr. , Rankin g Minorit yMembe r Subcommitte e o n Oversigh t and Investigation s Th e Honorabl e Henr yA . Waxman , Chairma n Subcommitte e o n Healt hand th e Environmen t Th e Honorabl e Edwar d R . Madigan , Rankin g Minorit yMembe r Subcommitte e o n Healt hand th e Environmen t Th e Honorabl e Thoma s A . Luken , Chairma n Subcommitte e o nTransportation , Tourism , and Hazardou s Material s Th e Honorabl e Bo bWhittaker , Rankin g Minorit yMembe r Subcommitte e o nTransportation , Tourism , and Hazardou s Material s Th e Honorabl e Georg e Bus h Vic e Presiden t o f th e Unite d State s Th e Honorabl e Howar d Baker , Chie f o f Staf f Th e Whit e Hous e Th e Honorabl e Elizabet hHanfor d Dole , Secretar y Departmen t o f Transportatio n Th e Honorabl e Dian e K . Steed , Administrato r Nationa l Highwa yTraffi c Safet yAdministratio n Departmen t o f Transportatio n Th e Honorabl e Le e M . Thomas , Administrato r Environmenta l Protectio n Agenc y Th e Honorabl e Jame s C . Mille r III , Directo r Offic e o f Managemen t and Budge t Th e Honorabl e Charle s A.Bowsher , Comptrolle r Genera l Genera l Accountin g Offic e Th e Honorabl e Jame s E . Burnett , Chairma n Nationa l Transportatio n Safet yBoar d