Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 845.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jul 27, 2000
Federal Reformulated Fuels Act of 2000 - Amends the Clean Air Act (CAA) to authorize a State Governor, upon notification to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the 90-day period beginning on this Act's enactment date, to waive oxygen content requirements for reformulated gasoline sold or dispensed in the State. Considers gasoline that complies with all other requirements for reformulated gasoline other than those regarding oxygen content to be reformulated gasoline.Requires the Administrator to promulgate regulations to ensure that reductions of toxic air pollutant emissions achieved under the reformulated gasoline program before this Act's enactment are maintained in States for which the oxygenate requirement is waived or to apply a specified alternative performance standard to reformulated gasoline sold in such States.(Sec. 3) Authorizes the Administrator to control the sale or introduction into commerce of any fuel or fuel additive that causes or contributes to air or water pollution that may be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare. Permits States not subject to a prohibition on enforcement of certain State emission control standards to prescribe such control on fuel or fuel additives for water quality protection purposes.Requires the Administrator to ban the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in gasoline unless the use of MTBE is determined to pose no substantial risk to water or air quality or human health. Authorizes the Administrator to establish a schedule to phase out the use of MTBE preceding such ban.Prohibits (if the Administrator makes the determination described above), for the fourth calendar year after this Act's enactment date and thereafter, the quantity of gasoline sold or introduced into commerce by a gasoline refiner, blender, or importer from containing on average more than one percent by volume MTBE and bars such individuals from selling or introducing into commerce any gasoline that contains more than a specified percentage by volume of MTBE as determined by the Administrator. Authorizes the Administrator to promulgate regulations to provide for an MTBE credit trading program to authorize persons who refine, blend, or import gasoline with less than the maximum MTBE content to use or transfer such credits to others for compliance purposes. Requires such regulations to ensure that the total quantity of gasoline sold or introduced into commerce during any calendar year by all such individuals contains on average not more than one percent MTBE. Provides for a temporary waiver of such limitations if there is an insufficient domestic capacity to produce or import gasoline. Authorizes a State to make such waiver inapplicable to any area with respect to which the State has exercised authority to limit the sale or use of MTBE.Permits States to petition the Administrator to eliminate the use of MTBE in gasoline in the State in order to protect air or water quality or human health.(Sec. 4) Requires the Administrator to promulgate regulations concerning the use of conventional gasoline to eliminate any increase in emissions of criteria air pollutants that may have resulted during 2005 and 2006 over the amount of such emissions during 1998 through 1999. Makes such regulations inapplicable to certain States that adopted emissions control standards before March 30, 1966.Eliminates a specified waiver for ethanol under provisions governing Reid vapor pressure limitations on gasoline.(Sec. 5) Directs (currently, authorizes) the Administrator, for purposes of registration of fuels or fuel additives and on a regular basis, to require manufacturers of such fuels or additives to conduct tests to determine potential public health and environmental effects (currently, public health effects) of the fuel or additive and to meet other existing requirements.(Sec. 6) Requires the Administrator to report to Congress every five years on: (1) reductions in emissions of criteria air pollutants, precursors of those pollutants, toxic air pollutants, and greenhouse gases that result from implementation of CAA provisions regarding regulation of fuels; and (2) regulatory options to achieve reductions in the risk to public health and the environment posed by fuels and fuel additives and recommendations for statutory changes necessary to implement such options.(Sec. 7) Authorizes the Administrator to approve State implementation plan revisions that apply a prohibition on the sale of conventional gasoline in covered areas (areas requiring the use of reformulated gasoline) to a nonclassified area.(Sec. 8) Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to authorize the EPA Administrator and States to use funds from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund to carry out corrective actions with respect to a release of MTBE that presents a risk to human health or welfare or the environment. Authorizes appropriations.Permits the Administrator or a State to use funds appropriated from the Trust Fund for: (1) necessary expenses directly related to the implementation of provisions regarding the response program for petroleum; (2) enforcement regarding underground storage tanks; and (3) inspection of such tanks. Authorizes appropriations.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 845.
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Smith, of NH with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 106-426. Additional and Minority views filed.
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Smith, of NH with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 106-426. Additional and Minority views filed.
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7853-7855)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7850-7853)
Introduced in Senate
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