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Tier 2 Gasoline Sulfur Program Is On Schedule
Release Date: 04/22/2004
Contact Information:
Contact: John Millett 202-564-7842 / [email protected]
(Washington, D.C. - April 22, 2004) EPA’s Tier 2 Gasoline Sulfur Program to reduce sulfur levels in gasoline will achieve the full air quality benefits on schedule.
EPA’s Tier 2 Vehicle and Gasoline Sulfur Program is a landmark program that affects new passenger vehicles and every gallon of gasoline sold in the U.S. Vehicles meeting the Tier 2 emission standards will be 77-95 percent cleaner than today's cars and trucks. At the same time, the program will result in cleaner-burning gasoline containing 90 percent less sulfur.
The Tier 2 Vehicle and Gasoline Sulfur program is part of a series of major initiatives that will reduce emissions of air pollutants from passenger vehicles, highway trucks and buses, and nonroad diesel equipment. The result will be cleaner air and improved human health.
On Thursday, April 22, EPA met with a group of oil refiners regarding clean fuel credits available on the market to purchase or trade to aid compliance with EPA’s Tier 2 Vehicle and Gasoline Sulfur program.
This meeting fueled speculation that EPA was considering a “deficit carry forward” approach as suggested by some importers. This approach would allow fuel providers to miss the low sulfur targets in 2004 in exchange for even tighter reductions in 2005 and 2006.
EPA rejects this idea and reaffirms its commitment to full, on time implementation of the Tier 2 Gasoline Sulfur Program. EPA believes that implementation of the Tier 2 Gasoline Sulfur program will not significantly impact gasoline supply and pricing in the market.
Refiners are producing low sulfur gasoline that is even cleaner than required under EPA’s phase-in schedule. This allows refiners to generate sulfur allotments, a type of credit, which can be sold on the open market to gasoline importers, marketers or other refiners.
For more information on the Tier 2 program go to: www.epa.gov/tier2 .
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