* * * State regulations require that this notice be mailed to all persons * * *
who submitted comments during the CaRFG3 public comment period
State of California
AIR RESOURCES BOARDNotice of Public Availability of Modified Text
and Supporting Documents and Information
PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO THE CALIFORNIA REFORMULATED GASOLINE REGULATIONS, INCLUDING A DECEMBER 31, 2002 PROHIBITION OF USING MTBE IN GASOLINE, ADOPTION OF PHASE 3 GASOLINE STANDARDS, A PHASE 3 PREDICTIVE MODEL, AND OTHER CHANGESPublic Hearing Date: December 9, 1999
Internet Posting Date: April 6, 2000
Public Availability Date: April 7, 2000
Deadline for Public Comment: April 24, 2000
At a public hearing held December 9, 1999, the Air Resources Board (ARB or Board) considered adoption of amendments to the California Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG) Regulations. The proposed amendments would prohibit California gasoline produced with the use of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) starting December 31, 2002, adopt CaRFG Phase 3 standards, establish a CaRFG Phase 3 Predictive Model that includes an evaporative emissions element, and make various other changes. The proposed amendments are described in detail in the Staff Report (Initial Statement of Reasons for Proposed Rulemaking) released on October 22, 1999.
The Board’s action. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Board adopted Resolution 99-39, in which it approved the originally proposed amendments with several modifications. All of the modifications had been suggested by staff in a 3-page document entitled "Staff’s Suggested Changes to the Original Proposal" that was distributed at the hearing and was Attachment B to the Resolution. The Resolution and its Attachment B are appended to this Notice as Attachment I. The Resolution directed the Executive Officer to incorporate the modifications into the proposed regulatory text, with such other conforming modifications as may be appropriate, and to make the modified text available for a supplemental comment period.
Modified text being made available. Attachment II to this notice contains portions of the proposed regulatory text showing the Board-approved modifications, along with explanations of the modified language. Attachment III contains portions of the proposed new "California Procedures for Evaluating Alternative Specifications for Phase 3 Reformulated Gasoline Using the California Predictive Model," showing modifications that would allow it to be used for compliance with the small refiner CaRFG3 standards. The complete modified text of the regulations and the Predictive Model Procedures, also reflecting various nonsubstantive conforming modifications prepared by staff, are available at the ARB’s Internet site for CaRFG3 regulatory documents – /regact/carfg3/carfg3.htm. Printed copies are available from Mr. Valentine Montoya, Stationary Source Control Division, telephone (916) 445-5605 or fax (916) 327-7212.
Additional supporting documents and information being made available. The staff has added to the rulemaking record the additional documents identified in Attachment IV.
Comments and subsequent action. In accordance with section 11346.8 of the Government Code, the Board directed the Executive Officer to make the modified amendments available to the public for a supplemental written comment period of at least 15 days. He is then directed either to adopt the amendments with such additional modifications as may be appropriate in light of the comments received, or to present the regulations to the Board for further consideration if warranted in light of the comments. The Board also directed that the CaRFG3 Predictive Model Procedures be modified to reflect the EMFAC 2000 mobile source emissions inventory, which the Board was expected to adopt at its March 2000 meeting. Consideration of EMFAC 2000 has been delayed. If the new inventory is adopted by the Board by the end of May 2000, the Predictive Model procedures will be appropriately modified and the modifications will be distributed with a second Notice of Public Availability of Modified Text. Otherwise, the CaRFG3 regulations will be finalized without the EMFAC 2000 revisions.
Written comments on the proposed modifications in Attachments II and III and the information identified in Attachment IV must be submitted to the Clerk of the Board, Air Resources Board, P.O. Box 2815, Sacramento, California 95812, no later than the deadline for public comment identified above, for consideration by the Executive Officer prior to final action. Only comments relating to the modifications and additional information made available by this notice will be considered by the Executive Officer.
Peter D. Venturini, Chief
Stationary Source Control DivisionAttachments