EPA proposes further gasoline vapor controls

Nov. 3, 2006
The US Environmental Protection Agency wants to expand, to nationwide locations, its air toxic standards designed to prevent gasoline spills and evaporation at urban distribution facilities.

Nick Snow
Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON, DC, Nov. 3 -- The US Environmental Protection Agency wants to expand, to nationwide locations, its air toxic standards designed to prevent gasoline spills and evaporation at urban distribution facilities.

The rule, which already covers urban facilities that store gasoline and load it onto trucks for delivery to stations, would be added to 3,000-5,000 more locations, EPA said on Nov. 2. It also could begin to cover the loading of gasoline into retailers' storage tanks in highly populated areas, the federal regulatory agency said.

EPA said that two alternatives are being considered in the expansion. The first would focus on pipelines, terminals, and bulk plants. The second would also add controls at urban retailers. EPA is seeking public comments on the proposals through Dec. 31.

The standards, which EPA proposed on Oct. 31, would reduce 45,000-46,000 tons/year of volatile organic compounds in gasoline vapors, including 3,300-3,400 tons of hazardous air pollutants, mostly at large bulk facilities. The program would cost about $60-65 million.

"There would be an annual benefit of about $6 million from either of the proposed alternatives. The value of the recovered gasoline and gasoline not allowed to evaporate will more than pay for the annual cost of the expenditures and the operation and maintenance of the equipment," EPA said in a fact sheet accompanying the proposals.

Most US pipelines, bulk plants and terminals already comply with standards in the proposed regulations, it added.

The first alternative would require all bulk distribution sites to have best seals on terminal and pipeline storage tanks, use submerged fill pipes when loading bulk plants' storage tanks, install vapor processors to control tank truck loadings at bulk terminals, use submerged fill pipes to control tank truck loading emissions at bulk plants, and periodically test all tank trucks and rail cars for leaks.

EPA also is seeking comments on a proposal to require terminals and pipelines to install best seals on their storage tanks and require bulk terminals to install vapor processors to control tank loadings.

The second proposal would require use of submerged fill pipes when urban retailers' storage tanks are being loaded. EPA said it also is seeking comments on whether additional devices, called vapor- balancing controls, are needed at urban retail sites.

Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].