WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT), member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, joined 10 of hisRepublican colleagues in a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calling for the repeal of Biden-era gasoline vapor testing regulations and a return to previous standards.
“These challenges are already materializing as some operators at liquid fuel terminals are prematurely enforcing the revised vapor tightness standards ahead of the 2027 compliance date, creating confusion and imposing unexpected costs on small business fuel marketers,” the senators wrote. “Industry stakeholders have warned that, absent corrective action by the Trump administration, these standards could result in fuel supply disruptions if charge tank vehicles are denied terminal access due to an inability to immediately comply with these unnecessary requirements.
“Small businesses in our states should not be subject to California’s regulatory overreach,” the senators continued. “We respectfully request that the EPA work with industry stakeholders to revisit the final rule and restore the prior standard for sources regulated under Subpart XXa and Subpart BBBBBB, while reverting to the former range pressure drop range of 1.0 to 2.5 inches under Subpart R. Reverting to this standard will support fuel supply continuity and ensure that first responders, motorists, farmers, ranchers, and other industries critical to America’s success have reliable access to an adequate fuel supply.”
Led by U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), the letter was also signed by Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jon Husted (R-OH), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Roger Wicker (R-MS).
Background:
Fuel marketers, who are responsible for transporting gasoline from the supply terminal to local gas stations, will see regulatory relief if the EPA takes steps outlined in the letter. Despite existing regulations governing the annual vapor testing requirements for gasoline cargo tanks, the Biden Administration unnecessarily changed the regulatory standards, causing confusion, driving up costs, and disproportionately impacting small business fuel marketers without material benefit.
The full letter can be found here.