Federal Public Comment Period Open to Remove the Federal Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) Requirements for York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Knox and Lincoln Counties

A Proposed Rule by the Environmental Protection Agency on 03/25/2021

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-03-25/pdf/2021-05939.pdf

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maine on August 20, 2020. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (Maine DEP) submission is in support of the State’s separate petition requesting that EPA remove the federal reformulated gasoline (RFG) requirements for York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Knox and Lincoln Counties (hereinafter referred to as the “southern Maine counties”). This action proposes to incorporate into the Maine SIP, Maine’s statute, which repealed the State’s requirement for the sale of RFG in the southern Maine counties effective November 1, 2020. Maine voluntarily opted into the federal RFG program in 2015. In order to remove the federal RFG requirements from the Maine SIP, Maine is required to complete a noninterference demonstration evaluating whether removing the RFG requirements in the southern Maine counties interferes with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act). EPA is proposing to approve this SIP revision and the corresponding noninterference demonstration. EPA has determined that the revision is consistent with the applicable provisions of the CAA. At this time, EPA is not proposing to remove the requirement for the sale of federal RFG in the applicable southern Maine counties as that is the subject of a separate petition to the EPA Administrator submitted on August 20, 2020, requesting opt-out of the federal RFG program in those counties. The Administrator intends to act on that petition in the near future. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act.

DATES:

Written comments must be received on or before April 26, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R01-OAR-2021-0006 at https://www.regulations.gov, or via email to townsend.elizabeth@epa.gov. For comments submitted at Regulations.gov, follow the online instructions for submitting comments.

MORE INFORMATION

Megan Diver

Megan has worked in Maine politics for more than ten years and all of her professional career, having served in many roles for elected officials (including former Secretary of State Charlie Summers), in-house with the Maine Association of REALTORS®, legislative specialist at Pierce Atwood LLP providing lobbying services and support to Pierce Atwood’s government relations clients and most recently senior government relations specialist at the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. Megan currently is the Vice President at the Maine Energy Marketers Association, utilizing her vast knowledge and legislative experience at the State House to represent MEMA on policies relating to the Association and its members.